14 Feb, 2015

Falgun 2, 1421 Rabius Sani 24, 1436 Regd No DA 6238 Vol 2, No 310

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2015 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

16 pages plus 24-page supplement Avenue-T and 24-page ICC Cricket World Cup special supplement | Price: Tk12

AVENUE T

7 | HERITAGE

11 | OP-ED

13 | SPORT

LOVE WILL COME THROUGH

THE KINGDOM OF RAMU

LET HIM WITHOUT SIN CAST THE FIRST STONE

EXCITEMENT BUILDS ON EVE OF WORLD CUP

Pre-election mayhem cases never saw trial

First day of spring welcomed with open arms n Tribune Report

Many arrested and freed on bail in 2013 are being arrested again n Mohammad Jamil Khan During the pre-election political violence towards the end of 2013, around 13,000 people were arrested in as many as 1,500 cases across the country.

Because none of those violence-related cases ever went to trial because police did not file charge sheets and most of those people – if not all – secured bail from various courts as the situation cooled down after the election on January 5, 2014.

Police and court officials blame each other for not being able to take the violence-related cases to the dock It is hard to say for certain whether the same people who have been carrying out the arson attacks and vandalism this year too, but the Dhaka Tribune has learned about at least four of them who got arrested again in violence-related cases.

Police and court officials have blamed each other for not being able to take these violence-related cases to the dock.

In a month’s time from January 3 to February 3 this year, law enforcement agencies have filed a total of 644 cases with various police stations across the country in connection with blockade and hartal violence.

Official statistics show that so far around 7,000 people have been arrested around the country in connection with those cases. Sources said many of these 7,000 people had been arrested during the 2013 violence.

Sahidul, 24, a supporter of Jamaat-e-Islami’s student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir, got arrested on January 26 this year in Mirpur area.

This Dhaka Tribune correspondent has recently caught up with one of his relatives near the entrance to the Dhaka Central Jail.

Requesting anonymity, the relative said: “I have asked Sahidul many times to refrain from carrying out violence.

But he never listened to me. In January last year also, I managed bail for him by hiring advocates. But I do not know what I will do this time.”

Another Shibir activist named Kawsar Khan, 30, was arrested in the capital’s Shahjahanpur area last week when he was picketing. Police are now looking for his associates Jubayer, Foysal and Jitu, who together are well-known  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

A little girl puts some colours on her cheek during the cultural fest arranged on the Charukola (Institute of Fine Arts under Dhaka University) premises to welcome spring on Pahela Falgun yesterday. More photos on page 5 SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla Senior civic leaders yesterday stressed the need to bring to an end the political deadlock that led to a month of violence leaving more than 70 people dead.

Nagorik Samaj, a civil society group led by a former chief election commissioner, said both a halt to street-power violence and the start of peace-talks, which they urged government to initiate, were needed.

“We will not ourselves take the initiative for a dialogue. If needed, we will extend our all-out support to make the initiative successful. Let us see what we can do once the dialogue is organised,” former chief election commissioner and Nagorik Samaj Convener ATM Shamsul Huda told journalists at a press conference at the National Press Club.

He, however, said the president of the republic could initiate the move to bring the political parties to the table.

Announcement Today’s issue of the Dhaka Tribune contains a 24-page special supplement on the ICC Cricket World Cup. Ask your hawker for your copy.

Huda earlier wrote to President Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and BNP chief Khaleda Zia, saying a cessation of violence and the initiation of talks to resolve the impasse could move forward simultaneously.

Responding to recent comments made by ruling party leaders about the committee’s efforts, Huda said: “We welcome criticisms from ministers and ruling party leaders as they take us into account.”

n Abu Hayat Mahmud

Candidates take their English first paper examination at a centre in the capital’s Segunbagicha High School. The twice rescheduled SSC exams finally starts amid tensions and anxiety over the political unrest yesterday MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday made a phone call to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the occasion of ICC World Cup Cricket.

Both the prime ministers wished their teams a success in the tournament that begins today simultaneously in Australia and New Zealand.

Modi said his newly appointed Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar would soon visit Dhaka to bolster bilateral relation between the two countries.

Sheikh Hasina’s Press Secretary AKM Shameem Chowdhury confirmed the phone call.

“The premier received a call from her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi around 10am. The leaders discussed different bilateral issues,” he said.

The Indian prime minister told Hasina that he would also extend greetings to other Saarc leaders on the occasion of the ICC World Cup.

n Reuters At least 19 people were killed on Friday in the Pakistani city of Peshawar in a gun and bomb attack on a Shi’ite mosque, the latest sectarian violence to hit the South Asian nation.

Radical Sunni Islamist groups often target mosques frequented by minority Shi’ites, whom they see as infidels.

Police said armed men broke into the mosque, where people were at-

tending Friday prayers, and opened fire, following which three explosions were heard inside the building.

The Pakistani Taliban, who are fighting against the state to set up a hardline Sunni theocracy, claimed responsibility and said the attack was revenge for Pakistan’s crackdown on militants following a December school massacre.

“Either Pakistan will become your graveyard, or God’s law, sharia, will be implemented,” Taliban commander

6 | Nation

8 | World

Khaleefa Omar Mansoor said in a video in which he was flanked by three young militants clutching AK-47 assault rifles.

“This is the first in a series of revenge attacks ... Wait for the rest,” Mansoor, who had earlier claimed responsibility for the Dec. 16 school attack in which more than 150 people were killed, said in the video sent by email to reporters.

The style of the mosque attack was similar to that of the school attack, when gunmen arrived in a car, set it on

fire, and broke into the building using a back entrance.

Peshawar’s Hayatabad Medical Complex said at least 19 people had been killed in the latest attack.

A witness, Shahid Hussain, told Reuters the worshippers had just finished prayers when five or six men wearing military uniforms broke into the mosque and started shooting.

“We had no idea what was going on.

One of the attackers then blew himself

9 | World

15 | Entertainment

3 | News

Persons responsible for the deaths of children by taking the adulterated paracetamol syrup of BCI (Bangladesh) Ltd are yet to be punished since the case sees slow progress.

Despite the peak season, stone traders in Sylhet are facing massive loss in business due to the transportation crisis, thanks to the non-stop blockade imposed by the BNP-led 20-party alliance.

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

During the conversation with Sheikh Hasina, Narendra Modi put emphasis on speedy implementation of the Saarc Declaration of the last Saarc Summit held in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu, reports BSS. Later, around 12 noon, Modi tweeted about making phone calls to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Sri Lankan President Sirisena.

He wrote: “Spoke to President @ ashrafghani, PM Sheikh Hasina, PM Nawaz Sharif & President Sirisena.

Conveyed my best wishes for the Cricket World Cup.” He also tweeted: “5 SAARC Nations are playing & are excited about the World Cup. Am sure WC will celebrate sportsman spirit & will be a treat for sports lovers. Hope players from SAARC region play with passion & bring laurels to the region.”  PAGE 2 COLUMN 6

At least 19 killed in attack on Shi’ite mosque in Pakistan

INSIDE

4 | News

Huda is the convener of the 13-member Nagorik Samaj, a platform of senior civic leaders.

The other members are – former caretaker government advisors Hafizuddin Khan, ASM Shahjahan, Jamilur Reza Chowdhury, Akbar Ali Khan, CM Shafi Sami and Rasheda K Chowdhury, Rokia Afzal Rahman, columnist Syed Abul Maksud, eminent jurist Dr Shahdeen Malik, former BGMEA president

Modi phones Hasina

n Tribune Sports Desk

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Nagorik Samaj calls for end to violence

A digital CWC set to roll The ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, the sport’s flagship event, is set to introduce a series of innovative digital activations that will allow fans unique opportunities to engage with the event, the legends of the game, and the players.

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Spring has arrived in all its glory. Bangladeshis throughout the nation have welcomed the new season with great joy and love. Red and yellow are the symbolic colours of Pohela Falgun.

Many girls were dressed in yellow or orange-coloured saris and wore floral ornaments. The boys were seen in panjabis of many shades.

In the capital, young men and women dressed up in bright colours to join a procession at 7am at the Faculty of Fine Arts (Charukola’s) Bokultola at Dhaka University (DU).

Citizens of different areas in Shahbagh, Charukola, TSC, to the book fair at Bangla Academy and Suhrawardy Uddyan celebrated all day the coming of Falgun, according to the Bengali calendar.

The Bakultola of Charukala (Facul) at DU was the heart of the festival. On the DU campus, thousands gathered in the morning to enjoy the song and dance programmes held in different places throughout the site. After the

The Comilla-Sylhet highway on Comilla’s side has recently turned into a death trap for those who travel on the road, especially vehicles carrying goods.

Fighters crossed Lake Chad in 4 motorboats and attacked a village, an army spokesman told the BBC. The Islamist militants were later pushed back by Chadian troops.

Nearly 200 pilot whales stranded themselves on New Zealand’s South Island yesterday, and hordes of rescuers rushed to the remote area in a bid to guide them back to sea.

Stars are planning to spend Valentine’s Day with their loved ones. From mouth-watering dinners to special tantalising tours, the husbands are making things special for their wives.

up and then there was huge smoke and dust all around,” he said.

The attack came as Pakistan tries to adopt new measures to tackle militants following the school massacre, in which 134 children were among the dead.

The government has pledged to crack down on all militant groups, and has reintroduced the death penalty, set up military courts to speed convictions  PAGE 2 COLUMN 6

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

UN wants peaceful resolution to crisis Fernández Taranco in touch with government, opposition leaders n UNB The United Nations has said it wants a peaceful resolution to the ongoing crisis and Oscar Fernández Taranco, head of its Peacebuilding Office, to liaise with the government and opposition leaders on the matter.

“We continue to deplore the loss of life [in Bangladesh]. And I think the key message is for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing crisis,” said UN secretary-general’s spokesman Stéphane Dujarric at a regular briefing yesterday.

He reiterated that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is obviously personally committed to the stability of and development in Bangladesh.

Earlier in his brief statement on Taranco’s role, Dujarric said: “I can tell you that as part of his functions, he is in regular contact with member states, including the United States.”

In his meeting with US Assistant Sec-

Hanif: BNP to eventually end up as militant outfit n UNB Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif yesterday said BNP will eventually turn into a militant outfit like Jamaat if it keeps on unleashing subversive activities in the same vein it is carrying out now.

He made the remark while replying to questions from local journalists during a views-exchange meeting with party leaders at his Kushtia residence.

Noting that the subversive activities BNP is carrying out in the name of politics is not part of politics, Hanif said general people are worried and upset over their activities.

Asked about the concerns voiced by the international community, he said it is natural that the outside world would express their worries about the anarchy.

Hanif also wondered saying it is beyond their imagination that a political party which had been in power several times in the past can directly be involved in criminal activities.

Asked why the government has failed to curb the violence, he said if a party which has lakhs of activists and which enjoys 30 percent vote turns out to be a militant organisation, it would take time to “uproot” them.

District Awami League President Sadar Uddin Khan, General Secretary Azgar Ali and town unit President Taijul Ali Khan were present, among others, at the meeting.

retary of State Nisha Biswal, Fernández-Taranco discussed, among other issues, the situation in Bangladesh, expressing concern about the escalation of violence and stressing the need for peaceful de-escalation of the situation.

Before the January-5 elections, Taranco, then UN assistant secretary general for political affairs came to Bangladesh and held a series of talks with the Awami League and BNP alliances.

However, he left the country leaving a note for Bangladeshi leaderships that the solution has to be a homegrown one.

“I firmly believe there’s a ground for an agreement...Bangladesh leaders must continue to come together. I encouraged both sides to continue the dialogue in the spirit of goodwill and compromise,” he told reporters after wrapping up his six-day hectic tour at that time.

News

Saturday, February 14, 2015

President, PM urge coast guard to ensure national maritime security n BSS President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday stressed the importance of Bangladesh Coast Guard’s role in protecting the national maritime boundary and coastal belt.

In separate messages issued on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Bangladesh Coast Guard and Coast Guard Day 2015 today, the president and the prime minister hoped for sincerity and patriotism from the coast guard in maintaining maritime defence.

“The coast guard has been playing important role to curb piracy, smuggling and illegal fishing, and protect oil, gas and forest resources in the country’s maritime boundary and coastal belt,” the president said in his message.

In her message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina hoped that the members of the coast guard would ensure foolproof security of the country’s maritime and coastal region by utilising their knowledge and experience.

Both the president and the prime minister wished gradual success of the coast guard and greeted its members on the occasion. l

AL top brass chastises civil society groups n Abu Hayat Mahmud Awami League advisory committee member Suranjit Sengupta yesterday slated civil society members for their initiative to arrange a dialogue between the government and the BNP, terming the effort a great mistake.

“They made a great mistake...The civil society members failed to prove their neutrality as they had only requested President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to initiate the dialogue. But they had not urged the BNP chairperson to stop violence,” he said.

Joy asks civil society members to visit burn units and ask Khaleda to stop burning people “Holding a political dialogue demands a peaceful environment and also a level-playing field. ATM Shamsul Huda and several others called for a dialogue at a time when terrorists were killing innocent people without any reason,” Suranjit said at a discussion meeting organised by the Nouka Samarthak Goshthi, a ruling party affiliated front.

He said the demand for a general election by the BNP-Jamaat cannot be met right now as it will be held in 2019 as per the constitution; there is no alternative way.

“Jamaat wants to convert Bangladesh into Pakistan. So, BNP should break its tie with Jamaat. You [BNP] should not carry out jamaat’s agendas,” he said.

In the same note, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, son and ICT adviser of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, alleged that the civil society members are indirectly helping terrorists who are burning people alive.

On his official Facebook page he wrote yesterday afternoon that the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami had been committing a “heinous and horrific” act by setting innocent civilians, including women and children, on fire.

He reminded that it was prohibited by the Geneva Convention even during war; hence it is a war crime.

He asked the civil society members to visit the burn units at the hospitals and then call on BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to stop burning people alive unconditionally before requesting for a dialogue.

“If you do not have the courage to say that, then keep your mouth shut. By demanding dialogue, you are giving these terrorists hope that their tactics might work. By blaming both sides you are trying to divert blame away from them,” said Joy. A platform comprising civil society members recently wrote to President Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the BNP chairperson, urging them to take steps to initiate talks in order to put an end to the ongoing political unrest. l

Dhakaites mostly walked along the streets while celebrating Pahela Falgun yesterday as the number of public transports drastically dropped in fear of petrol bomb attacks. The photo was taken from the capital’s Shahbagh intersection RAJIB DHAR

Bomb blasts near AL leader’s rally

n

UNB

Three crude bombs were blasted near the venue of a protest rally of State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam at Mirganj in Bagha upazila yesterday evening, around 6pm.

However, no one was injured in the incident. There was neither any arrest in this regard. l

A digital CWC set to roll  PAGE 1 COLUMN 1

on their favourite greatest World Cup moment, the greatest XI, and the Cricket World Cup Quiz.

ICC Cricket World Cup Timeline

The CWC timeline is designed within all of Twitter’s platforms, from iOS to Android and also twitter.com. The two timelines, Tournament and Match, will give fans an instant snapshot of matches with commentary, expert and fan tweets all coming through to a central point.

For mobile, this experience is avail-

able to all users who have updated to the latest version of the Twitter app.

AskTheCaptain

In addition to showcasing relevant tweets during the game, ICC is giving cricket fans around the world a chance to make dreams come true in each of the 49 World Cup matches. By tweeting to @ICC with the hashtag #AskTheCaptain, Twitter users across the world can participate in the post-match interviews and get closer to the action then ever before.

At every match, one Tweet containing a question will be picked up by the commentators and asked to the winning captain live on global television feed during the post-match presentation.

CWCDaily on Twitter Video

The ICC is producing a special digital wrap-up of every single match day throughout the ICC CWC 2015 and @ICC will Tweet this #CWCDaily recap of the day via Twitter Video to ensure that fans do not miss out on any CWC story.

It is a five minute show that will go out

Pre-election mayhem cases never saw trial  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

as crude bomb makers in Chawkbazar of old Dhaka.

Kawsar, originally from Chandpur, had been arrested in November 2013 as well while picketing in the capital. After a one-month stay at the Dhaka Central Jail, he managed to get out on bail.

He is now in the same jail again after police showed him arrested in an arson case last week. His associates Foysal and Jitu also were arrested in December 2013 and later got freed on bail, sources said.

When asked why these people were freed in the first place if they had to be arrested again, Asaduzzaman Miah, commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), did not give any direct answer.

He told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday: “We have a list of bomb makers.

Our officials are conducting drives as per the list. We have already arrested a number of bomb makers.”

Not just in Dhaka, this is happening in other parts of the country as well since the ongoing wave of political

violence erupted on January 6 when the BNP-led alliance enforced the nonstop countrywide transport blockade along with the intermittent hartals.

On Monday, Chittagong police arrested Mahbubur Rahman alias Rabban, 22, near the Tasfia Community Centre in the city. Sahjahan Kabir, OC of the Halisohor police station, said Rabban got arrested in 2013 as well for picketing.

Nurul Islam Shimul, 19, was arrested in the Joraganj area in the port city a few days ago when he picketing in the area. Salauddin Sikder, assistant police super of Chittagong district, said: “Several pickets have been arrested over the last few days. Several among them have previously filed cases against their names.”

When contacted, Abdullah Abu, public prosecutor of the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court, admitted that none of those 1,500 cases filed in 2013 were ever brought to trial.

Asked why that did not happen, the state attorney said: “We never got any information [from law enforcers]

about those cases. I will be able to tell you more specifically about the status of those cases if I get more information.”

However, Jalal Uddin Ahmed, assistant inspector general of police (AIG), said the matter depended entirely on court as to why there has been no trial.

“It is not true that police never investigated the sabotage cases filed in 2013. We did not file charge sheets in some of them because investigation could not be completed. But were have finished investigation many of those cases and some are under way.

“But we cannot tell you why trials never started. Only the court can tell you that,” the AIG said.

In months of street protest that preceded the January 5 election last year, around 250 people were killed and thousands injured in arson and crude bomb blasts around the country.

In this year’s violence that has already lasted for over a month, at least 69 people have been killed in violence, most of them in arson on vehicles.l

each evening with news and views from right across every element of #CWC15.

Twitter Voting Card: PlayOfTheDay

At the end of each match day, users can get involved to decide which moment was the #PlayOfTheDay based on a shortlist by ICC. To make the choice, users will simply have to click on a special Twitter Voting Card that @ICC will Tweet out giving a daily winning ‘Play of the Day’ on all 36 match days during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.l

Nagorik Samaj calls  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

Anwar-Ul-Alam Chowdhury Parvez, researcher Dr Ahsan H Mansur, and Shujan chief Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar.

Members joined the committee of their own accord; more may soon join its ranks, sources said.

On Saturday, the citizen’s forum held round-table talks at which Gonoforum President Dr Kamal Hossain and Nagorik Oikyo convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna were present.

Kamal and Manna were later dropped from the committee amid criticism from ruling party leaders.

Huda said the mounting death toll resulting from the transport blockade and general strikes called by the BNP-led 20-party alliance could not be termed political activity.

“This should be stopped immediately. We are all professionals. There is no political affiliation in our initiative.

From a moral standpoint we are saying that criminal activities should be stopped and an initiative to hold talks should be taken.”

Huda read out a copy of the letter

First day of spring welcomed with open arms  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

rally, the second part of the programme took place in the afternoon.

Apart from that, celebrations were scheduled to take place in Uttara Sector 3’s Unmukta Mancha, Old Dhaka’s Bahadur Shah Park and Lakhsmi Bazar, and Dhanmondi’s Rabindra Sorobor.

After the dryness of winter, new leaves are coming out again, and nature has adorned the branches with new blossoms of shimul, polash, marigolds, and the Krishnachura.

Especially, the ongoing month-long Ekushay Book Fair has become the best place to spend time with friends, family, and loved ones.

Jatiya Boshonto Utshab Udjapan Parishad has been organizing the main programmes for almost two decades now.

Meanwhile, in Chittagong, spring was celebrated yesterday in the city with bright colours, joy, and excitement.

After a long spell of the blockade and hartal, Chittagong denizens came

outdoors to spend the first day of the “season of flowers,” while the city took on a festive look.

To welcome the new season, different socio-cultural organisations held day-long programmes. The girls wore saris in the Falgun colours and floral ornaments, while the boys wore colourful panjabis.

Proma, a recitation ogranisation in the port city, and private telecom company Robi jointly organised the “Bosonto Utsab” at the Fine Art Institute of Chittagong University in the city’s Mehedibag area. The programme featured recitations, indigenous dances, instrumental music, songs, and an art competition.

Bodhon Abritti Parishad, another recitation organisation, held a lively programme, “Nibir Ontor Tor Bosonto Elo Prane,” at DC Hill, which also featured a cultural programme.

Famous singers Samina Chowdhury and Sandipan performed at the Fine Arts Institute, and local artists

the group sent to the president, prime minister and BNP chairperson.

He said: “Although as per our constitution, the president does not have that power, as guardian of the state he can play a moral role to end the crisis.

We hope the president takes the initiative and holds talks with political parties and professionals.” l

At least 19 killed in attack on Shi’ite mosque in Pakistan  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

and widened its offensive in northwestern areas on the Afghan border where militants find refuge.

Yet Pakistan’s religious minorities, among them Ahmadis, Christians and Hindus, say the government is doing little to alleviate their daily struggle against discrimination and violence.

Last month, dozens of people were killed in a similar attack on a Shi’ite mosque in the southern town of Shikarpur. l

Modi phones Hasina  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

Earlier, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Pakistan Premier Nawaz Sharif on Thursday to wish him a success for the ICC World Cup 2015 in Australia and the two bonded over cricket after months of strained ties.

Modi tweeted this morning that he had spoken to Sharif and the heads of other Saarc countries whose teams are playing in the World Cup to wish them good luck.

As per a NDTV yesterday report, India’s PM Modi joked about Pakistani PM Sharif playing in a warm-up World Cup match in 1987 alongside cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan, who is now Pakistan’s top opposition leader.

Nawaz Sharif reportedly laughed and said: “Kash woh din dobaara aata (I wish those days would come back.)”

Sources say Mr Sharif then discussed the possibility of resuming foreign secretary level talks, which were canceled in August last year amid a row over the Pakistan envoy’s move to engage with Kashmiri separatists.

Ties worsened over a series of ceasefire violations by Pakistan, the NDTV report said yesterday. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Drug court struggles with fake paracetamol cases n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu

Persons responsible for the deaths of children by taking the adulterated paracetamol syrup of BCI (Bangladesh) Ltd are yet to be punished since the case sees slow progress.

The prosecution of the Dhaka Drug Court blames witnesses for sluggish trial procedure. On the other hand, court officials allege that the prosecution lawyers are not sincere in quickly disposing of the case.

So far, only two out of six prosecution witnesses have testified in the case of BCI Ltd, with the latest on Thursday.

Farhad Hossain was an official of the drug administration when the case had been filed.

The court has set March 18 for next witness in the case.

The first witness, also plaintiff of the case, Abul Khayer Chowdhury gave statement on August 28 last year after being summoned several times since May 2012 when the trial resumed following a High Court order.

After his testimony, the court sent Khayer, then the drug superintendent, to jail for three days as a punishment.

The judge said he had tried to divert justice by dodging the court 18 times as such act only helped the accused.

Khayer, now a director, filed the case against six top officials of BCI Ltd on November 30, 1992 for manufacturing spurious drug that killed many children in early 1990s.

The accused are three BCI directors Shajahan Sarker, Shamsul Haque and Nurun Nahar, Executive Director ASM Baduruzza Chowdhury, Production Manager M Tajul Haque and Quality Control Manager Ayesha Khatun. Of them, only Shajahan is on bail while others remain fugitive.

The investigation officer submitted the charge sheet against the accused on January 2, 1993 and the court indicted them in 1994. Since then, the case remained pending with the High Court until 2011 upon a defence petition.

A study by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University suggests that as many as 2,700 children died from taking adulterated Paracetamol syrup between 1982 and 1992. But it is difficult to determine how many lives were lost between 1991 and 1992.

According to court sources, the pros-

ecution witnesses are not coming to the court despite being facing arrest warrants.

“The prosecution lawyers are not helpful to quickly dispose of the case for some unknown reasons,” a court source told the Dhaka Tribune seeking anonymity.

On July 22 last year, the Dhaka Drug Court sentenced three officials of Adflame Pharmaceuticals to 10-year rigorous imprisonment for manufacturing spurious drug that killed at least 28 children in the early 1990s.

Many lives could have been saved had the Directorate General of Drug Administration acted efficiently in 1991, the judge said in the verdict.

The other companies accused of producing adulterated paracetamol syrups are Rid Pharmaceutical Company and Polychem Laboratories Ltd. The fifth company - City Chemical and Pharmaceutical Works Ltd – was not sued reportedly for having close connection with the then ruling BNP-Jamaat government.

Rid Pharma case near end

The depositions of three out of four witnesses in the case against Rid Pharma

have so far been recorded by the drug court since 2011.

The court has set February 24 for the next witness.

In 2009, at least 28 children died across the country by taking toxic paracetamol syrup produced by Rid Pharma.

The children died between June and August that year of renal failure due to the paracetamol syrup intake. The drug administration sealed off its factory on July 22.

On July 21, 2009, Shafiqul Islam, then the drug superintendent, filed the case with the Dhaka Drug Court, accusing five officials of the company. They are Managing Director Mizanur Rahman, directors Sheuli Rahman, also Mizan’s wife, and Abdul Gani and pharmacists Mahbubul Islam and Enamul Haque.

Of them, Mizanur and Sheuli are on bail while the rest remain fugitive.

Trial proceedings in the case were deferred several times due to non-appearance of witnesses, court sources said.

Public prosecutor of the court Shaheen Ahmed Khan told the Dhaka Tribune: “We are hopeful about completion of trial of the two cases within a short time.” l

Food supply to Khaleda’s office still cut off n Tribune Report For the third day running, the police allegedly stopped a van that was carrying food for the BNP chief’s staff and party leaders who had been accompanying Khaleda Zia since January 3, from entering the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office.

However, the food that was brought for Khaleda by her relatives – was allowed inside.

Sources at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office say everyone there was living on dry food, and the supplies were running out fast Shamsuddin Didar, an official of Khaleda’s press wing, said when the food-carrying van arrived in front of the Gulshan office at 1pm yesterday, the police did not allow it to enter the office.

“Food is being barred once again on Friday noon. Police officials said they

7 dead in Barguna trawler capsize n UNB Seven people were killed and another person went missing as a trawler carrying over 200 Muslim devotees capsized in the Payra River at Tetulbaria in Taltali upazila of the district on Friday.

The deceased were identified as Nayeem, 9, Yusuf, 55, Amir Ali, 50, Joynal, 55, Safiz Uddin, Ali Hossain, 30, and Harun, 60, while the missing is Musa, 16. All the victims hailed from Kalapara upazila in Patuakhali district.

Dulal Faraji, Nishanbaria union parishad chairman, said the overloaded trawler ‘FV Fatima’ sank near the estuary of the Payra around 12:30 pm while heading towards Chaladanga Darbar Sharif in Bamna upazila from Kuakata of Patulakhali.

Soon after the capsize, a body was recovered from the sunken trawler while seven passengers went missing.

Later, members of Bangladesh Coast Guard and locals retrieved four more bodies in the afternoon and two others around 9:45pm.

However, other passengers of the trawler managed to swim ashore.

Patharghata Coast Guard Station Commander Ltd AM Rahatuzzaman said their drive will continue until the rescue of the missing boy.

The overloaded trawler capsized due to strong current in the river, said Mohammad Babul Aktar, officer-in-charge of Taltali Police Station.

Survivor Chan Miah said they started for the Chaladanga Darbar Sharif in the trawler around 8:45am to attend a mahfil there.

On information, Deputy Commissioner M Zahirul Islam and Police Super M Saiful Islam visited the spot. l

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Workers busy in cleaning the premises of the Central Shaheed Minar yesterday prior the observation of the Language Martyres Day and International Mother Language Day on February 21 RAJIB DHAR

Son jailed after rescuing mother from rape attempt n Our Correspondent, Natore

A man has been arrested and sent to jail in Natore in a case filed by a neighbour, who allegedly attempted to rape the detainee’s mother.

Rashedul Islam, son of Rasheda Begum in Bagatipara upazila, is now behind bars after he was sued by Rafiqul Islam, the neighbour who allegedly tried to rape Rasheda, on February 7. He was arrested hours after the case was lodged.

On February 5, Rasheda was collecting logs from Rafiqul’s date orchard when he attempted to rape her, claimed her husband Moksed Ali. “Rashedul and several others were

on the scene shortly and rescued my wife before beating up Rafiqul. She was later admitted to Natore Upazila Health Complex,” he said.

Rasheda was also accused in the case along with her son, and Rafiqul charged them both with making a death threat against him.

On February 11, Moksed filed a lawsuit against Rafiqul, accusing him of being a lewd man and raping a widow, Rupjan Begum, in the village some time ago.

Sub-Inspector of Bagatipara police station Mohidul Islam, also the investigating officer of the case lodged by Rafiqul, said the plaintiff had accused the mother and the son

n UNB

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of attacking him and his wife, which caused the wife’s finger to bleed.

“Rafiqul also accused Rashedul of snatching his mobile phone and his wife’s ornaments. He claimed himself as a freedom fighter in the case statement,” added the policeman.

Alam, member of ward no 6 under Paka union, said Rafiqul had told some locals that he punched Rasheda several times on February 5.

He also said that Rafiqul had raped Rupjan and locals later arbitrated the matter.

‘Moksed and his family members have been voting for Awami League in elections for long, and Rafiqul branded

them as Jamaat-e-Islami activists while talking to police at the time of lodging the case. Rafiqul also claimed himself as a freedom fighter in a bid to save him from legal actions,” added Alam.

Paka union Awami League President Rezaul Islam Shukur said he had heard about a minor brawl involving Rasheda, Rashedul and Rafiqul.

He said he would arbitrate the matter soon.

Aminur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Bagatipara police station, said he had not received any copy of the case lodged by Moksed.

Steps will be taken after we receive a copy, he added. l

An 11-member delegation of Krishak Sramik Janata League, led by its presidium member Nasrin Siddique, went to meet BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at her Gulshan office last evening, but police did not allow them.

Nasrin, wife of the party’s President Kader Siddique, along with its leaders arrived in front of the BNP chief’s office around 7:45pm.

Identifying herself, she told the law enforcers deployed there that she had come to meet Khaleda Zia. The law enforces asked her and the leaders to wait for a while and registered their names and addresses.

A few minutes later, the policemen told them: “You cannot go inside the office as you have no permission to do that.”

After waiting for nearly 20 minutes in front of the office, Nasrin and other leaders left the area.

Talking to reporters later, Nasrin said: “I came here to request Khaleda Zia to call off hartal and blockade for the sake of peace, but the government authorities did not allow me.”

She alleged that she had gone to Ganobhaban on February 10 to meet the prime minister also, but she could not meet her. l

Manna: Undemocratic forces can emerge if no dialogue

n UNB

Voicing concern over reluctance about engaging in dialogue by BNP and Awami League, Nagarik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna yesterday said the two parties are paving the path for undemocratic forces to intervene in country’s politics.

“There’s no chance of intervention by undemocratic forces in our politics if AL and BNP can sit together. If they fail to find a solution, they themselves, not us, will invite an undemocratic intervention. It could be a third force --military or foreigners,” he said.

Manna came up with the remarks at a press conference organised by Nagorik Oikya at Topkhana Road in the city. l

CPB, BSD for national dialogue to resolve crisis

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do not know about the matter, but a uniformed police official barred the food-carrying van from entering the office.”

“Even a prisoner has the right to eat; then why are we being deprived of food?” Didar said.

However, when asked whether food was being barred from entering the Gulshan office, Assistant Commissioner of police for the Gulshan zone, Mukhtaruzzaman, told the Dhaka Tribune that he had no knowledge of any police personnel stopping any food van there.

The party’s Vice-Chairman Selima Rahman, Khaleda’s Adviser Abdul Kayum, Khaleda’s Press Secretary Maruf Kamal Khan, the BNP chief’s Special Assistant Shamshur Rahman Shimul Biswas and some 40 staffs of Khaleda have been accompanying the BNP chief since January 3.

Sources at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office said everyone there was living on dry food, and the supplies were running out fast.

On Wednesday, the law enforcers allegedly stopped the supply of food and bottled water to the BNP chief’s office.

Similarly, supply of breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the staff was allegedly also not allowed inside on Thursday. l

KSJL team not allowed to meet Khaleda n UNB

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Saturday, February 14, 2015

Farmers bear the brunt of the ongoing blockade as the rise in transport costs has left their produce on the fields which was supposed to reach different districts by now. The photo was taken from Bagmara upazila in Rajshahi district yesterday AZAHAR UDDIN

Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and Bangladesher Samajtanrik Dal (BSD) yesterday urged all political parties to hold a national dialogue to break the current political stalemate.

The two left parties came up with the call from a joint rally held in front of the Jatiya Press Club.

Addressing the rally, CPB president Mujahidul Islam Selim observed that all pro-liberation and non-communal political parties should sit in an immediate dialogue.

Pointing to the ruling Awami League, he posed a question, “If there’s no problem in holding discussion with Hefajat-e-Islam, then where’s the

problem in sitting with Khaldea Zia?” About the hard-line stance taken by the law enforcement agencies to curb the ongoing violence, the CPB president observed that the law enforcers should engage their efforts to arrest those who are directly involved in subversive activities instead of arresting ones accused of solicitation.

He also urged BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia to stop the violence and arson

attacks.

BSD general secretary Khaliquzzaman and CPB general secretary Syed Abu Jafar Ahmed also spoke at the rally. l

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Stone business in Sylhet in trouble due to blockade n Our Correspondent, Sylhet Despite the peak season, stone traders in Sylhet are facing massive loss in business due to the transportation crisis, thanks to the non-stop blockade imposed by the BNP-led 20-party alliance.

Stones extracted from the quarries in the district are distributed around the country, but due to the political violence the trucks cannot deliver the stones, sources at different quarries told the Dhaka Tribune.

‘Trucks came to Sylhet to carry the stones out to their destinations, but now they are stuck here fearing ambush’ “We have been trying to do what we can amid the political instability. But it is risky and the attacks on the road makes it much worse,” said Jashimuddin, a stone trader at Bichanakandi quarry in Gowainghat upazila.

“The peak season for stone extraction here is between November March. During this time, around 2,000 trucks are supposed to carry out stones from here to different places around the country every day. But this season, we are having difficulties meeting our orders due to all the blockade-related violence,” said Mohammad Sunu Miah, a stone businessman in Bholaganj

quarry, 33km from Sylhet city.

Abdur Noor, chairman of Companignaj Stone Mill Owners’ Association in Noakhali district, said: “Our business is taking a terrible hit; we cannot run our stone mills without the stones.”

The frequent petrol bomb attacks on good-laden trucks on the highways are making truck owners and drivers reluctant to take their vehicles out on the road.

“Trucks came to Sylhet to carry the stones out to their destinations, but now they are stuck here fearing ambush,” said Iftekhar Ahmed, general secretary of Sylhet District Truck Owners’ Association. “Because of this situation, we are suffering a daily loss worth around Tk8-10 crore.”

The stagnancy of business is not only affecting stone traders and transport owners, but also those who are employed in the quarries.

According to sources, around 800,000 people are employed in the district’s five stone quarries – Jaflong, Bholaganj, Lawachara, Tekerghat and Bichanakandi – in stone extraction, loading and delivery throughout the country.

Around 100,000 people – both men and women – work in Bholaganj quarry, 50,000 of whom collect the stones in small boats, their livelihood depending on selling the stones.

“It is a difficult time for all of us. Anything is possible when it comes to our politics – burning innocent people for its sakes is a proof of that,” Iftekhar said. l

Activists of Gonojagoron Moncho demonstrate in the capital’s Shahbagh area yesterday demanding quick execution of death the sentence for war criminal Kamruzzaman and protesting the ongoing anarchy in the name of political movement RAJIB DHAR

RCC to excavate 53 water bodies to reduce water crisis n Nazim Mridha, Rajshahi Authorities of Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) has designed a plan for proper utilisation of surface natural water excavating about 53 abandoned water bodies across the city with a view reducing water crisis.

The plan has been taken specially to retain surface water resources in order to reduce the ongoing water crisis using the natural water bodies as well as to mitigate climate change impact, said Ashra-

JCD to enforce non-stop strike at CU from Sunday n CU Correspondent Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), the student wing of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), yesterday announced to enforce a student strike for indefinite period at the Chittagong University (CU) campus from Sunday to press home its 11-point demand.

Confirming the strike, Saifuddin Salam Mithu, general secretary of JCD CU unit told the Dhaka Tribune: “JCD will enforce the non-stop student strike at the campus from next Sunday demanding the authority to ensure co-existence of all students’ organisations at

the campus and to end the repression of the JCD men and common students

by Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL)”.

“The programme will continue until the demands are met”, said Mithu.

Contacted, CU Proctor Siraj Ud Dowla said: “No one informed the university authorities about the demands or the strike”.

“It is unacceptable that the JCD men has called the strike through the media,” said proctor Siraj adding that he urged the students to attend the academic activities without any fear.

The other demands put forwarded

by JCD are to lift the political ban from

the campus, to resume the CU-bound shuttle train service from Chittagong railway station, to take action against alleged sexual harassment of female students by BCL men, to start bus service for the students, to ban politics around the shuttle train, to ensure that real students reside in the halls, build new halls to resolve the accommodation problem, curb nepotism and partisan appointment of BCL men and settle the appointment irregularities by BCL men at CU. On January 21 and February 3, JCD enforced student strike twice at CU as part of its central programme. l

ful Haque, chief engineer of the RCC. For the purpose, the city corporation has fixed a fund of Tk206.24-crore under a project titled “Natural Water Bodies Conservation and Development in Rajshahi City”, Haque said.

Engineer Ashraful Haque also informed that there were a total of 29 natural water bodies in the metropolis till 2002, but the number has been declined to 393 at present as influential quarters have filled many water bodies.

The RCC authorities have also planned

to recover the water bodies which was allegedly filled up and grabbed by influential quarters, Ashraful added.

Ashraful Haque told the Dhaka Tribune that a total at least 98 acres of land of water bodies of Rajshahi city will be acquired for the purpose.

Due to abnormal decline of surface natural water, the dependency on groundwater has increased for ensuring the supply of water to the city dwellers, causing unusual lowering of groundwater level for the last couple of

AL-backed panel wins Barisal bar election n Our Correspondent, Barisal Awami League-backed Sammilito Ainjibi Samannaya Parishad (SASP) has swept in the annual election of Barisal District Bar Association, winning 15 out of 16 posts, including those of president and secretary.

Obayedullah Saju, convener of the election subcommittee, announced the result at 10:30am yesterday.

Anis Uddin Ahmmed Shahid was elected the association’s president, while Kazi Munirul Hasan its general secretary.

Of total 712, 749 voters cast their votes from 9am to 6:00pm on Thurs-

day to elect 16 office bearers, including 11 executive body members and 5 subcommittee members.

Thirty two candidates from two panels – one supported by AL-led 14-party alliance backed SASP and the other BNP-led 20-party alliance backed Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Oyikya Jote (JAOJ)--contested in the election.

The executive body’s elected office bearers are Md. Shahid Asgar Khan, Samir Kumar Datta, M A Jalil, Mosammed Md. Saiful Islam Mollah, Md. Istiyak Ahmed, Moinuddin Mahbubul Alam Shikder, Advocate Mollah Md. Giasuddin and Advocate Sumon Chandra Haldar and Md. Shafikul Alam Rahat. l

4 hurt in gas cylinder blast’ SUST observes 24th founding anniversary n Tribune Report Four workers sustained burn injuries when a gas cylinder reportedly blasted in a shoe factory at Pathantuli in Chittagong city yesterday at noon.

Md Ripon, 20, Monir Ahmed, 35, Santo, 16, and Korban, 35, were admitted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH)’s Burn and Plastic Surgery unit, said Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Pankaj Barua of CMCH Police Outpost.

ASI Pankaj said a gas cylinder went off at the shoe factory in Kata Batgash at Mogoltuli under Double Mooring po-

Fisherman killed along Padma River Correspondent, n Our Munshiganj

A fisherman was hacked to death in Sreenagar upazila of Munshiganj district on Thursday night.

The murder took place around 1am in Bhaggyakul area by the Padma River following a clash over establishing supremacy for catching fish from the river between two groups of fisherman.

Shahjahan Shareng, 55, was killed by a group of fisherman led by Gopal Rajbongshi, alleged the deceased’s wife Jahanara Begum.

She filed a case in this connection yesterday.

Yesterday morning police recovered the body from the spot and arrested Gopal Rajbongshi.

Police said a quarrel broke in between Shahjahan Shareng and Gopal Rajbongshi over fishing in the Padma River along Bhaggyakul area. l

lice station at around 1pm, injuring the four workers on duty.

However, Double Mooring police said there was no cylinder blast inside the factory, with Officer-in-Charge (OC) ASM Nurul Alam Talukdar of Double Mooring police station stating the fire might have originated from an electric short circuit or cigarette fire near the shoes that were stored for marketing.

Other workers doused the flame before calling fire services, said the OC, adding that police did not find any sign of a gas cylinder blast during the initial investigation. l

n Our Correspondent, Sylhet Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) in Sylhet observed its 24th founding anniversary yesterday with various programmes.

Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the university Professor Md Aminul Haque Bhuiyan inaugurated the celebrations by hoisting the national and university flags. Professor Narayan Saha, president of the University Day Celebration Committee at 10am was also present at the time.

This was followed by a colourful ral-

ly led by the VC with participation of students, teachers and employees at the campus.

Later the VC cut a 24-pound cake, marking the years since foundation, at the open theatre. The first VC of the university, Professor Sadaruddin Ahmed Chowdhury, was accorded a reception at the event.

In his speech, the former VC recalled the glorious days from the history of the university and urged everyone to keep up the legend.

The event was also addressed by university treasurer Professor Ilias

Uddin Biswas and Professor Narayan Saha.

Deans, varsity registrar, student counsellor, department heads, proctor, teachers, students and officials of the university were present at the event.

Though SUST was founded in 1987, it was in 1991 that the university, a first of its kind in the country, kicked off its academic activities with only 13 teachers and 205 students. At present, SUST has 400 teachers and almost 10,000 students in 25 departments under 7 faculties. l

years in the Barendra area of Rajshahi.

The problem becomes worse mostly during the dry season and causes acute water crisis for household chores and for agriculture in the area.

Asharful said: “If the project is successfully implemented, the drinking water crisis will be no more as well as agriculture will be flourished in the area, including fish production will be enhanced together with protection of the endangered fish species from further extinction. l

Magura Language Movement veterans get reception after 63 years n Our Correspondent, Magura Five Language Movement veterans of Magura were accorded a reception at a function in Magura district town yesterday, after 63 years of the movement.

The veterans are Khan Ziaul Haque, Aminul Islam Chandu, Md Jalil Khan (posthumous), Hamiduzzaman Ehia (posthumous) and Mirza Shawkat (posthumous).

Magura Kobi Sahittyk Oikko Jote organised the event at the Magura Syed Ator Ali Public Library premises to honor the brave-hearts for their outstanding contribution to the language movement.

With Poet Bibekanando Majumdar in the chair, Magura District Council Administrator Advocate Shariful Islam attended the programme as the chief guest.

Speaking on the occasion, Khan Ziaul Haque said: “We fought for our mother tongue 63 years ago. But we are yet to get any recognition from the state.”

“Today’s reception has upheld our unrecognized contribution,” he said.

Shariful Islam said freedom fighters of the district have been given reception on behalf of the district council.

The language movement veterans will also be treated in the same manner. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Spotlight

Saturday, February 14, 2015

A riot of colours – yellow, orange, red and every shade in between – shimmered under the sun yesterday in the capital as gaily dressed Dhakaites took to the streets to usher in Pahela Falgun, the Bangla calendar's first day of spring.

Women in Bashonti saris, bedecked in crowns of flowers and floral ornaments, men in colourful punjabis and equally well-dressed children thronged the myriad festival venues in the city as Pahela Falgun this year fell on a weekend.

Celebrating renewal through tradition, Jatiya Boshonto Udjapon Parishad organised a vibrant cultural programme at Dhaka University’s Fine Arts Faculty. After the violence that cast a gloom through the winter, spring this year is truly a harbinger of joy, peace and hope SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

Saturday, February 14, 2015

6,000 applicants waiting for new electricity line n Our correspondent, Magura At least 6600 applicants have been waiting for new electricity connection from the Palli Bidyut Samity (the rural electrification board) in Magura for years.

Irrigation and businesses in the district have been badly hampered due to the lack of electricity.

Magura Palli Bidyut Samity sources said there were 6600 new applicants in the district at present. Every year about 1500 persons apply for electricity connection. Among them about 1000 get the connection. The remaining number adds to the increasingly long list of applicants every year thus creating an enormous backlog.

In this situation the district is failing to achieve desired economic growth due to power crisis.

Suspected mugger lynched in Noakhali n Our Correspondent, Noakhali A suspected mugger has been killed in a mob beating at Bandher Hat Paschim Bazar under Sadar upazila in Noakhali.

The deceased is Md Nishan 26, son of Rahim Mohrar of village Fakirpur.

Meanwhile, one Md Nishan, 26, was injured in the mob beating early yesterday.

Nishan has been admitted to Noakhali Abdul Malek Ukil Medical College Hospital.

Sudharam Sub-Inspector Sulak Biswas said: “Nishan and his associate snatched away the belongings of a couple who were going to Khaliphar Hat on a rickshaw at 4:30am.”

Later, the locals caught and beat them up severely. Nishan died on the spot and.

Police sent the body to the hospital’s morgue for autopsy.

A case was filed with the Sudharam police in the connection.

The incident of mass beating has increased at a alarming rate in the district. A good number of people were killed in mob beat in the last year, although the existing laws discoureges people not to be involved in this kind of violence. l

Golam Murtaja, a Boro farmer of Nishchintapur village under Magura sadar upazilla said: “I have applied for a new connection 5 years ago. But I am yet to get it. Hence I am being compelled to do the irrigation in my Boro field with diesel driven machine.

It has substantially increased the production cost. If I were able to get the electricity, the irrigation cost would be far less.”

A businessman of Kalundi village under Sreepur upazilla, Rashid Biswas, set up a rice mill two years ago. “But the mill is still inoperative as I am yet to get electricity connection. This is not only jeopardising my investment but also having an impact on the paddy farmers, who have to go to another village 5km away to husk their paddy.”

When contacted, Magura Palli

Bidyut Samity General Manager Md Insher Ali cited some difficulties in supplying electricity according to the demand.

He said providing new electricity connection was not their only work.

“Our limited number of employees remain busy maintaining the existing electricity line.

Moreover, for new connections, various supports like cable, pillar and metre are necessary. Getting such supports are time consuming and hence delays the whole process of service,” he explained.

When asked about irrigation being hampered despite government’s high priority on this, Md Insher Ali said it did not depend on his will but on the decision of the district irrigation committee. l

Sacks of potatoes are piled up at Baneshwar haat of Puthia upazila in Rajshahi to be sold as food for cows and goats. Traders said they were forced to sell these old potatoes for only Tk200-250 per sack as they could not distribute them across the country in time due to the on going blockade and hartals. Moreover, customers are no longer interested to buy the old potatoes as the new ones have taken over the market. The photo was taken yesterday at Baneshwar haat AZAHAR UDDIN

Fund embezzlement leads to conflict between mayor and panel mayor n Our Correspondent, Natore The mayor of Natore municipality has been suspended on allegation of government fund misappropriation leading to a conflict with the panel mayor and a stagnant administration.

The local government ministry on January 26 issued a circular ordering suspension of mayor Sheikh Emdadul Haque Al Mamun, also the secretary of Natore municipality BNP, following corruption allegation of more than Tk4 crores. It also served the mayor a show cause notice and asked him to hand over his duty to the panel mayor within three days.

However the mayor denied to step down and instead secured a stay order on the suspension from the High Court on January 29.

Panel Mayor Arifur Rahman Masum, district Awami League information secretary, claimed that he did not know about the suspension as Emdadul Haque hid the notice and resorted to legal means secretly.

This has created a conflict between the mayor and the panel mayor.

According to the circular signed by Deputy Secretary of the ministry Khal-

ilur Rahman, the mayor is accused of fund misappropriation in an investigation carried out by the ministry.

An audit by Additional Deputy Commissioner of revenue, Shakhawat Hossain, found unbridled corruption in Natore municipality in 2013. Following the audit, former Shramik League leader Syed Murtoza Ali Bablu lodged complaint against mayor Emdadul Haque with the local government.

According to the circular, Mayor Emdadul Haque, during the 2010-2011 fiscal year, withdrew Tk20 lakh 65 thousands 3 hundreds and 43 in the name of repairing roads.

He also swindled money from the Haat-Bazar development fund. Defying government regulations, he did not spend 45% of the fund for developing and preserving the local markets. Also the 5% income that was supposed to be generated from the market lease was not submitted to the government. The 4% of the lease income reserved for freedom fighters’ fund was not materialised either.

Moreover, Tk38 lakh 34 thousand 180 Value Added Tax, Tk6 lakh, 48 thousand 808 income tax and land revenue of Tk10 lakh 83 thousand 513 re-

alised from Tebaria Haat, Station Bazar and bus terminal was not deposited to the government fund.

In addition, he deployed 62 people in various projects and paid them Tk10 lakh 44 thousand 550 without any proper documentation violating government rules.

The mayor is also accused of misappropriating Tk1 crore 45 lakh 58 thousand 774 from UGIIP-II project of 201213 Annual Development Programme by showing implementation of the same project twice. He created fake documents with the help of the officers and workers of the engineering branch of the municipality.

The circular further said mayor Emdadul Haque withdrew Tk1 crore 65 lakh 12 thousand from the interest of Haat-Bazar fund fixed deposit. He spent the money for his personal reasons by showing fake vouchers. He also misappropriated Tk20 lakh as loan repayment. Another Tk5 lakh was swindled in the name of contractor’s bill without any proper document.

Following those corruption allegations, the ministry suspended the mayor on January 26 and sent a copy of the order to the deputy commissioner,

panel mayor and the secretary of the municipality.

The order also asked the mayor to hand over his duty to the panel mayor within 3 days from his suspension and reply to the show cause notice within 10 days.

When contacted, Mayor Sheikh Emdadul Haque Al Mamun said he submitted a writ petition to the High Court on January 28 after receiving the suspension order.

“After the hearing on January 29, the court of Justice Mirza Hussain Haider and Justice Bhabani Prasad Singha stayed the suspension for 4 months.”

“I had applied to the senior secretary of the ministry to withdraw the suspension order. The corruption allegations against me are nothing but conspiracies. As per the court order, I am still the mayor and there is no question of stepping down,” he added.

Panel Mayor Arifur Rahman Masum said he did not receive the copy of the suspension order because the mayor hid it from him.

“The corruption committed by the mayor has been proved in the investigation of the ministry. No corrupt mayor should hold on to his post. I will take legal measures in this regard,” he said. l

Abducted schoolgirl found dead

n Our Correspondent, Gazipur

Police have recovered the body of a school girl from Mulayed village in Gazipur, sixteen hours after her abduction. The deceased is Shumona Akhter, 9, daughter of Ainal Hossain and a student of class II at Mulayed Moddhopara Government Primary School.

Police recovered the body from a guava garden at 10am on Friday and sent it to Gazipur Shohid Tajuddin Ahmed Medical College Hospital for autopsy.

Shreepur Sub-Inspector Sohel Rana said: “She was missing since 6:30am on Thursday. It is being estimated that she might have been raped and suffocated to death by miscreants.” l

25 shops gutted n Our Correspondent, Comilla Some 25 shops were gutted as a fire broke out at Moddhobazar in Chandina upazila headquarters in the early hours of yesterday.

Chandina Fire Station officer Easin Prodhania said the fire broke out at Maddhobazar Babun Chowdhury market around 9pm and soon engulfed the adjoining business establishments. Three fire fighting units from Chandina, Muradnagar and Comilla rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control . l

Villagers’ clash kills one in Chittagong n Tribune Report One person was killed and 20 others were bullet-injured in a clash between two groups of villagers over land dispute in Char Khagra area of Satkania upazila in Chittagong yesterday morning.

The deceased, Saber Ahmed, 30, son of Jeber Mulluk, was a resident of Khagaria union of the upazila, said police sources. Saber was a worker at a thread industry in Chittagong city.

Sub-Inspector (SI) Julosh Khan Pathan of Satkania police station told the Dhaka Tribune that there had been a

A truck turns turtle because of the dilapidated state of the Comilla-Sylhet Highway at Debiwar upazila in Comilla. The photo was taken yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

Robbers kill one, loot Tk350,000

n Our Correspondent, Moulvibazar Robbers murdered a night guard and looted hard cash from a flour mill in Srimongol town in Moulvibazar district yesterday.

The gang of robbers broke into Jalalabad Tea Holding and Flour mill at Shaymoli residential area in Srimongol in the early hours of Friday. They roped down night guard Md Harun Miah, and stabbed him. Then they broke into two office safes, and fled the scene with Tk350,000.

The owner of Jalalabad Tea Holding and Flour Mill is Md Mohsin Miah Modhu, mayor of Srimongol municipality.

Harun Miah lived in Ashidrone Noyabari village of the upazila.

Srimongol police have recovered the body of the night guard from the scene, and sent it to Moulvibazar’s 250-bed Sadar Hospital morgue.

Md Abdul Jalil, Officer-in-Charge of Srimongol police station has confirmed as much, and added that the filing of a case is now under process for this crime. l

Comilla-Sylhet highway in Comilla side turns into a deathtrap n Mohiuddin Mollah, Comilla The Comilla-Sylhet highway on Comilla’s side has recently turned into a death trap for those who travel on the road, especially vehicles carrying goods.

Many vehicles reportedly fall into clearings and holes on this road everyday. On Wednesday, there was a lot of traffic on Debidar and Burichang areas of this road sparked off by a similar incident. Primary inspection has shown there are broken axles lying in Barera area of Deibar side of the road.

Saif Uddin, an executive engineer, said the road has become tender due to reconstruction.

“Hopefully it’ll improve in the next two-three days,” he said.

However, this has reportedly been an issue for two years. In avoiding this part of the roads, many end up traveling with their vehicles on the village roads.

Passengers and transport service providers said on Tuesday, three goods-laden trucks tumbled into an opening on the 10km road in Debidar and Burichang area, while the axles of 11 goods-laden truck were broken. The Debidar New Market, Baniapara, Barera, Begumbaad, Kalikapur, Jaforganj, Hatimara, Aziznagar, Chagura and Kangshanagar areas of the road are especially affected.

Some claim, because the road and people division have not been able to clean the 10km distance, the holes have become deathtraps. l

log-standing dispute between Badsha group and Musha group over the ownership of a piece of land.

Supporters of both group have locked in the clash after an altercation in the morning.

“Supporters of the both groups equipped with firearms and lethal weapons, attacked each others around 7:30am, leaving 20 men wounded”, said the SI. Saber sustained bullet-injured in his face and throat while he was coming out from his house to see the incident,” SI Julosh said, adding that he was taken to

Chittagong Medical College Hospital later.

CMCH Police Outpost’s Nayek Hamidur Rahman said Saber was rushed to the CMCH around 11am where he succumbed to his injuries after two hours.

The 20 others injured people were undergoing treatment at the hospital, said Nayek Hamid.

On receiving information, police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.

Police arrested three persons for their alleged involeved in the killing.

A case was filed with Satkania police station in this connection. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Heritage

Saturday, February 14, 2015

7

The kingdom of Ramu

The pristine landscape of Ramu

D

n Tim Steel ominating the skyline of the hills above the Bakkhai River and historic Ramu stands the, possibly thousand year old, gilded Stupa on top of what the local people call Golden Hill, convinced that deep within the hill lies a great deal of golden treasure.

And why not? Ramu is, probably, one of the most ancient cities in the lands that, once dominated by, amongst others, Portuguese, Burmese, Arakanese, Tripurans and British, are now a significant part of Bangladesh.

Claiming at least one Buddhist Temple said to have been founded by the third century BC, Emperor Ashoka, alongside another, Hindu Temple, claiming foundation in 2,800 BCE, the first tangible clue to its heritage is probably the city called Ramcu.

This location is clearly marked, just where it should be, half way between two great rivers easily identifiable as Karnaphuli and Naf, on the 14th

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

century reconstruction of the second century CE map, by the great Greco Roman cartographer, Ptolemy, of the Ganges Delta and the lands around.

Such clues to its ancient heritage and culture cannot be ignored when, together with shreds of history, we may perceive, so close to today’s favoured seaside holiday destination of late 18th century Cox’s Bazar, we can begin to suspect that, hereabouts, there maybe a fascinating story to be told.

It may, at the rate of sadly under resourced archaeology, and generally uninterested academics in Bangladesh, take some time to adequately investigate even Bengali history and heritage, far less that of such parts of the nation with heritage substantially outwith Bengal, and reveal what promises to be a very rich piece of history and heritage.

Little, if any, archaeology, can presently support a history that seems to weave like a tangled thread through the history of Bangladesh itself, and some surrounding nations.

banks of the Ganges river, and which we know involved the, already, highly developed civilisations of the Chinese lands, at the latest by the fourth century BCE, when money cowries shells with origin in the Indian ocean were placed in tombs in Yunnan Province of China.

There was a nomadic migration of peoples, such as the Aryan people from Persia, and the Harappan from the Indus valley, to the Ganges basin, perhaps five or six thousand years ago that made the first great change to human existence thereabouts.

In the development of both agricultural improvement, such as the domestication of rice cultivation, 12 or 14 thousand years ago, in both Yunnan Province, and the Ganges basin, in which contemporaneous developments we may suspect nomadic early connections from Central to South Asia, Such as fabric weaving, pottery and metal working, may just as easily have involved these lands on the fringes of the Ganges delta as in the basin itself.

From at least the time when Ptolemy marked Ramu on his map in the 2nd century, until the better documented period around about the 12th century, of the existence of a kingdom variously called Rhamma, Ramya, or even Ramu, that lay between Tripura and Arakan, to the south

The entry to the buddist temple in Ramu

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

“To begin at the beginning,” as the great Welsh poet, Dylan Thomas, commenced his masterpiece, “Under Milk Wood,” it helps to know where the beginning is. There is no doubt that various tribes of people lived on the hills, in the jungles, or on the banks of rivers, since all were potential sources of food.

And even in the 17th century one European traveller reports on such tribal people as wearing tiger and goat skin clothing! Very probably, as these peoples evolved from hunter gatherers into farmers, they were early practitioners of the Jhum system of slash and burn migrant agriculture still practiced in the hills thereabouts.

From as early as the earliest centuries of the last millennium BCE there is evidence of trade, through the lands in and around the Ganges Delta; trade that probably originated on the

In more recent times, the early centuries of the Common Era, Ptolemy, named the area “Argory,” believed to be a reference to Silver mining in the region; no such silver mines, however, have ever been found, although lead mines, which can produce minute quantities of silver, have.

There is considerable evidence, in both Bengali and Buddhist, and, indeed, Arabic writing, to support the view that, from at least the time when Ptolemy marked Ramu on his map in the second century, until the better documented period around about the 12th century, of the existence of a kingdom variously called Rhamma, Ramya, or even Ramu, that lay between Tripura and Arakan, to the south.

Included within these scraps of evidence is a copper plate inscription describing the famous Pala dynasty that

It may be an enduring clue, beyond Ptolemy’s marking, that the British merchant, Ralph Fitch, exploring the commercial potential for trade with the area, and perhaps, also, an agent, not only for London merchants, but also for England’s most famous spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham, records his own visit to Ramu ruled large lands in north east India from the middle of the 8th century to the end of the 12th as “Risen from the sea-coast,” an inscription that has led to the suggestion that the entire Pala dynasty, in fact, originated as kings of the Kingdom of Ramu!

It may be an enduring clue, beyond Ptolemy’s marking, that the British merchant, Ralph Fitch, exploring the commercial potential for trade with the area, and perhaps, also, an agent, not only for London merchants, but also for England’s most famous spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham, records his own visit to Ramu.

Between those two remarkable pieces of documentation, it is certainly hard to interpret what we know, what we think we know, and a wide diversity of partial documentary resources, to fully appreciate the history of this particular part on Bangladesh.

Suffice to say, confusion reigns.

What appears to be the case is that, when Ptolemy first marked Ramu on the map, it was an independent kingdom. Its very existence was financed, no doubt, by the trade that passed through it, heading either north, through the mountains, towards Mandalay and Yunnan Province, or more westerly, into Tripura and Assam, before taking the Ledo road route through upper Burma, to Yunnan Province of China.

When, in the late 16th century, the English merchant, Ralph Fitch visited it, we believe it was still a trading centre of substance, but under the control of the Arakan kingdom; a control that continued for another eight decades, when, ostensibly to avenge the rumoured murder of his brother, Shah Suja, by the Arakanese king, Aurangzeb, the fratricidal sixth Mughal Emperor, took back Chittagong, and the lands south, to the Naf River. The irony of that revenge, of course, is that Aurangzeb had already murdered two of his three brothers, himself.

Indeed, in his flight to Arakan, seeking refuge from his brother, Shah

Suja certainly passed by Ramu, and is said to have encamped, with a thousand palanquins, an enormous entourage, and great treasure, beside the sea, nearby, where Cox’s Bazar now stands.

Both Arab and local historians go to great lengths to establish the long term presence of Muslim peoples in the area, citing the victims of an eighth century wreck of an Arab trading ship on the coast as the source of original settlements. It is, indeed, suggested that offshore islands, from St Martins, northward, became Muslim dominated.

The evidence of an historic Buddhist and Hindu presence on Maheshkhali, and of Portuguese occupation of such as Sandwip reduce the likelyhood of this being so, but there is sufficient circumstantial evidence of Arab traders on this coast for the proposition of the Muslims of Arakan, the Rohinga, being mere illegal refugees a questionable one.

It appears certain that, by the time, in 1798, Captain Cox, himself, took up residence in Ramu, the lands about had been much denuded of human population, and probably, after being, in the previous century, besieged by Mughal and Burmese armies, Ramu itself, much reduced.

But the evidence of a Kingdom of Ramu remains sufficiently well documented, however sketchily, to justify, certainly, further investigation. Its history, judging by even what remains of its tangible heritage in temples and vihara, appears to have been rich indeed. l Tim Steel is a communications, marketing and tourism consultant.

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

World

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Nigeria’s Boko Haram militants attack Chad for first time n

BBC

Nigerian Boko Haram militants have carried out an attack on Chad overnight, the first such assault on Chadian soil, officials say.

Fighters crossed Lake Chad in four motorboats and attacked a village, an army spokesman told the BBC. The Islamist militants were pushed back by Chadian troops after killing several people, residents said.

Chad recently joined Nigeria, Niger, and Cameroon in a military coalition

against Boko Haram.

The jihadists, who want to create their own Islamic caliphate in Nigeria, have killed thousands and forced millions to flee their homes in north-eastern Nigeria since 2009.

Colonel Azem Bermandoua Agouna, of the Chadian military, told the BBC’s Thomas Fessy that the militants had killed one soldier and wounded a further four in the village of Ngouboua.

Mr Agouna said a local chief was killed during the attack by a stray bullet. He did not confirm reports of other

civilian casualties.

Two Boko Haram militants were killed and five injured, he said.

Residents put the number of attackers at around 30 and said they torched two-thirds of the village’s homes.

“They came on board three canoes and succeeded in killing about 10 people before being pushed back by the army,” one resident told Reuters.

Chadian military aircraft carried out air strikes against the militants in response, destroying their vessels, officials said.

Chadian soldiers patrol in the Nigerian border town of Gamboru as part of the fight against Boko Haram

Fighting rages in run-up to Ukraine ceasefire

Chad formed a military alliance in January with Nigeria, Niger, and Cameroon, aimed at defeating Boko Haram.

Chad, seen as having the region’s most effective military, has conducted airstrikes against the jihadist group in both Nigeria and Niger, and stationed its troops in the border areas around Lake Chad.

The Islamist militant group has intensified its attacks against Nigeria’s neighbours in response, forcing thousands of residents to flee their homes. l

AFP

n Reuters, Donetsk Ukraine and Russian-backed rebels fought fiercely across the east of the country yesterday despite a new peace deal brokered by Germany and France.

A ceasefire is due to come into effect from Sunday under the agreement, which also envisages a withdrawal of the heavy weapons responsible for many of the 5,000 casualties in the conflict that broke out almost a year ago.

Kiev said pro-Russian rebels had built up their forces across separatist-held zones since the deal and both sides accused each other of killing civilians.

Two people were killed and six wounded when a shell hit a cafe in the Kiev-controlled town of Shchastya near rebel-held Luhansk in eastern Ukraine, a local official said, adding that other shells had struck elsewhere in the town.

“The town’s heating system is broken, power lines are damaged as well as the water supply ... So this is how a comprehensive ceasefire is prepared for,” the head of the Kiev-controlled administration, Hennadiy Moskal, said online.

The rebels accused Ukrainian forces of shelling the separatist stronghold of Donetsk and the town of Horlivka, where they said on their website that three children had been killed.

The sound of artillery could be heard in the outskirts of Donetsk and clouds of black smoke hung over its suburbs.

Outgoing fire from the Ukrainian side was visible on the road between Kiev-controlled Kramatorsk and rebel-held Donetsk and rebels at a checkpoint near Donetsk said they had been hit by mortar strikes. They mocked the impending truce.

“What sort of ceasefire? Don’t make me laugh. This is already the second or third ceasefire,” one said.

The deal, sealed by the leaders of Germany and France yesterday after 16 hours of all-night talks in Minsk, capital of Belarus, with the Russian and Ukrainian presidents, was soon over-

Erdogan criticises Thousands at US funerals of Muslim Obama for silence over hate crime victims n slain Muslims AFP, Raleigh

n AP, Ankara Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has reproached US President Barack Obama and other senior officials for not speaking out against the killings of three young Muslims in North Carolina this week.

Erdogan said during a news conference in Mexico Thursday that the US administration should take a stance against the killings, saying their silence was “meaningful.”

His words were carried by Turkey’s state-run news agency early yesterday.

Erdogan said: “I ask Mr. Obama: where are you Mr President?”

An atheist with a reputation for bullying his neighbors has been charged with murder.

Police say the killings may have been over a parking dispute. But they are also investigating whether religious or ethnic hatred may have motivated the suspect. l

US raises concerns with China about new cyber rules n Reuters, Washington The Obama administration sees planned new cybersecurity rules in China as a “major barrier” to trade and has raised concerns with Beijing at the highest level, a senior US official said on Thursday.

Deputy US Trade Representative Robert Holleyman said the new regulations, which would force technology vendors to Chinese banks to hand over secret source code and adopt Chinese encryption algorithms, ran counter to Beijing’s moves to open its markets and economy.

“Our view is that it’s a major barrier to trade,” he said at an event on trade in services.

“There’s been engagement at the highest levels of the US government and cabinet with Chinese counterparts asking for those (regulations) to be put on hold.”

China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said China was committed to its policy of opening up to the outside world.

“As long as foreign companies operating in China respect China’s laws and harm neither the country’s national interests nor consumers, we will protect their legitimate rights in accordance with the law,” she said at a daily briefing.

Holleyman said later it was “premature” to say whether the United States could challenge the rules at

the World Trade Organisation, but China had to consider its international commitments, including plans for an investment treaty with the United States. The rules are set to come into effect in mid-March.

“They have to look at their underlying needs but ensure but that when those are addressed (they) are not contrary to the type of trade commitment and liberalisation of their market that they also want to achieve,” he told reporters.

Holleyman is the former head of BSA The Software Alliance, one of more than a dozen US business groups which have complained directly to Beijing about the rules and appealed to Washington to help overturn them.

All governments wanted to ensure secure transactions and the integrity of networks, but the best solution was to have globally competitive products and use the best technology available.

“The proposed mechanism is not the way to deal with that, rather the proposed mechanism primarily constitutes a trade barrier,” he said.

The United States was still awaiting an offer from China on the so-called negative list of sectors to be excluded from the investment treaty. This was expected “fairly soon,” Holleyman said, but not before the Lunar New Year holidays, from February 18-24. l

The families of three Muslim students shot dead by a neighbor in the US said an emotional farewell to their loved ones Thursday, reiterating calls for the killings to be treated as a hate crime.

More than 5,000 people gathered for the funeral of Deah Shaddy Barakat, 23, his new wife Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, 21, and her 19-year-old sister Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, who authorities say were killed by a neighbor in the North Carolina university town of Chapel Hill.

The alleged shooter, Craig Stephen Hicks, 46, was believed to be strongly opposed to religion, as his Facebook page showed dozens of anti-religious posts, including proclamations denouncing Christianity, Mormonism and Islam.

Police said they were investigating Tuesday’s fatal shootings as a parking dispute, but victims’ families repeated their belief the attack was religiously motivated.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation

said it had launched a parallel probe into the killings. Federal prosecutors often look into suspected hate-crime cases – a conviction for “hate crime” results in a tougher sentence.

“We are definitely certain that our daughters were targeted for their religion,” the father of the sisters, Mohammad Abu-Salha, told AFP. “This is not a parking dispute, these children were executed with shots in the back of the heads,” he said, surrounded by tearful family members as they prepared for the final funeral prayer.

“This has hate crime written all over it and I’m not going to sit down for it,” he said later before three caskets.

He said his daughter Yusor had complained that Hicks had harassed her, and appeared at her door to complain about a parking space with a gun holstered at his waist.

Neighbors recalled Hicks as troublesome, frequently squabbling with nearby residents over parking and seen with his gun in public, according to local media reports.

The killings rattled the Chapel Hill community, fueling fears among some Muslims in the tight-knit university town, but officials say it did not appear to be part of a broader anti-Muslim campaign.

“To be honest, it makes me more scared because I have two babies so I don’t even want to imagine,” said Sarah Alhorani, a former student at University of North Carolina, where Barakat was a second year dentistry student.

“I was scared to walk out my door, but I did and I kept going and I kept my scarf on and you keep moving on,” said Alhorani, a friend of all three victims.

Some Muslim leaders said the shooting was a reflection of wider anti-Muslim hostility, and warned it could sow fear among Muslim-Americans.

“People are very concerned about what happened. They feel that this is a premeditated hate crime,” Nihad Awad, director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, told AFP. But there were calls for calm and leaders urged restraint. l

shadowed by the clashes.

A Ukrainian military spokesman said 11 soldiers had been killed and 40 wounded in the past 24 hours. “The enemy continues to build up forces in the main areas of the armed conflict,” Andriy Lysenko said.

Fighting was intense around Debaltseve, a railway junction linking the two main rebel areas, where separatists used rockets and artillery to attack government forces holding the town.

“Rebels are repeatedly storming the strongholds and base camp of Ukrainian forces,” in and around Debaltseve as well as firing artillery, mortars and rockets, Lysenko said, stressing that government troops had held their positions.

The United States and Europe have threatened further sanctions against Moscow if the rebels seize more territory.

Ukraine’s pro-Western president said he was not naive and wanted to make clear the country was a long way from peace.

“Nobody has a strong belief that the peace conditions which were signed in Minsk will be implemented strictly,” Petro Poroshenko said.

Away from the battlefield, disagreements surfaced over whether a rebel amnesty or the release of a Ukrainian pilot detained by Russia were part of the ceasefire deal.

Western diplomats said the European Union would go ahead on Monday with already planned sanctions against 19 Ukrainian separatists and Russians, despite the ceasefire.

Nato and the United States said the fighting ran counter to the spirit, if not the letter of the agreement and US officials said further sanctions were still on the table.

At an EU summit in Brussels, the leaders of Germany, France and the European Council also said new sanctions were possible.

Yesterday, the Kremlin said the four leaders remained in touch over the Ukraine crisis, and that he expected a phone conversation in the coming days, RIA news agency reported. l

Saudi women driving activists released from prison

n Agencies

Two Saudi women’s rights activists, one of whom tried to defy a ban on female driving, have been freed after more than two months in jail, a campaigner has said.

“Yes, Loujain is free,” said the campaigner who spoke with Loujain al-Hathloul after she left prison yesterday.

Hathloul “just said that she’s released and she’s happy,” said the activist, the AFP news agency reported.

Maysaa al-Amoudi, detained at the same time as Hathloul, has also been let out of jail, her family confirmed, according to the activist.

“Peace be upon you, good people,” Hathloul tweeted late on Thursday.

She and Amoudi had been held since December 1, after Hathloul tried to drive into the kingdom from neighbouring United Arab Emirates in defiance of the ban. Amoudi, a UAE-based Saudi journalist, arrived at the border to support Hathloul and was also arrested.

In December, activists said a court in Eastern Province had transferred the two women to a special tribunal for “terrorism” cases. l

Fame beckons for Gaza Watchdog chief: US must teen band forged in war learn from Afghan waste n

AFP, Gaza City

After wowing the judges of “Arabs Got Talent,” five young Palestinians who formed a band while bombs rained down are hoping their budding success can raise awareness of war-ravaged Gaza.

Their first audition so impressed that they were propelled to the semi-finals of the hit Middle Eastern television show – a spin-off of the British-created Got Talent franchise.

The sob stories of hopefuls in the Western talent contest pale in comparison to the trials and tribulations of contestants in the Arab version.

The young musicians in Al-Takht al-Sharqi (The Arab Orchestra), who wear the traditional Palestinian keffiyeh around their necks, had to rehearse during lulls in the fighting in Gaza last year.

“I would play the darbuka (goblet drum) to try and drown out the sound of the bombardment, but the strikes

were always louder,” said Ramzi al-Far, 14.

“Staying alive was the priority, so our band practice suffered a bit,” added 16-year-old Siraj al-Sarsawi who plays the Arabian lute.

“We were too scared to do anything else most of the time.”

The 50-day war between Israel and Palestinian militants in July and August killed nearly 2,200 Gazans, most of them civilians, as well as 73 on the Israeli side, mostly soldiers.

Almost a quarter of the dead were children, UN figures show.

The band members have lost neighbours and relatives to the conflict.

Following their initial audition in September, the five-member group, which plays traditional Arab music, will soon return to Beirut, where the hit-MBC show is hosted.

During the war, the band members tried to leave Gaza via the Rafah crossing with Egypt. l

n Reuters, Kabul

The United States must learn from expensive mistakes it has made trying to rebuild Afghanistan, where it has spent more than anywhere else, and tighten up conditions for aid and oversight or risk losing much more, the head of a watchdog agency said.

John Sopko, a pugnacious former prosecutor who took on the mafia in the United States, has earned notoriety in Kabul and Washington for denouncing how much of the $107bn the United States has spent rebuilding Afghanistan since 2001 has been frittered away.

Among the examples of woeful waste he has documented were a multi-million dollar project for solar-powered bus stops and more than $200m on an unfinished road.

Sopko, head of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), says the US government has to change the way it operates and must set more strict conditions on its

help and keep a much closer eye on the money.

“We do run the risk of it being wasted if we don’t do conditionality, if we don’t do oversight, if we don’t take into consideration the Afghan situation,” Sopko in an interview deep in the heavily fortified US embassy in Kabul.

The US congress set up SIGAR in 2008 to provide independent oversight and audits of how US funds are spent in Afghanistan.

It released its latest findings on Thursday, highlighting $20m the US military spent on waste incinerators it never used.

SIGAR has hired experts to write “lessons learned” reports on how to do better nation-building - covering issues including narcotics, corruption and planning, Sopko said.

“We spent more money than we’ve spent in any country in the history of the United States, more money than the Marshall Plan, so it’s big bucks,” he said. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

World

9

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Myanmar says rebel clashes near Chinese border kill dozens n AP, Yangon Battles between Myanmar troops and Kokang rebels near the Chinese border have killed 47 soldiers and wounded more than 70 others, state media said yesterday, in a setback for the government as it steps up efforts to sign a nationwide cease-fire with ethnic insurgents.

The clashes, which began earlier this week, included at least 13 firefights and five government airstrikes, the Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper said.

This week’s fighting near Laukkai, capital of the self-administered Kokang zone, has been some of the fiercest in the country The number of rebel casualties was not immediately known.

Myanmar only recently emerged from a half-century of brutal military rule. Since assuming power in 2011, the nominally civilian government of President Thein Sein has been trying to strike peace agreements with more than dozen ethnic rebel groups that have been fighting for decades for greater political autonomy in resource-rich border regions.

Though preliminary cease-fire pacts have been reached with most of the ethnic groups, clashes occasionally occur with Kachin, Shan and other armed groups. In addition to control over jade, timber and other natural resources in areas under their control, they want as-

surances that they will have some say over future troop movements.

This week’s fighting near Laukkai, capital of the self-administered Kokang zone, has been some of the fiercest in the country in at least two years.

Nay Zin Latt, a political adviser of the president, said it was a “tactical move” by ethnic insurgents to derail government efforts to reach a nationwide peace deal.

“Groups that are reluctant to sign the accord have strategically aided the illegal Kokang rebels to create military tensions,” he told The Associated Press. “Their ultimate mission is to put the ruling government in a fix and derail the cease-fire process.”

China has been notified of the clashes, the newspaper said, citing concerns that citizens could start streaming across the border.

The Kokang guerrillas were the main fighting force for the now-defunct Burmese Communist Party until a ceasefire was signed with the then-military government in 1989.

This week’s fighting was led by Phone Kya Shin, the newspaper said.

Once the leader of the Kokang rebels, he split off several years ago and now heads a renegade faction. His men attacked military stations with the objective of capturing Laukai, 800 kilometers (500 miles) northeast of the country’s biggest city, Yangon, it said.

It quoted local residents as saying that Kokang rebels had infiltrated the area by working in plantations and had carried out attacks using rocket launchers and anti-aircraft guns.

As the fighting flared in northeastern Myanmar, four other ethnic groups signed an agreement in the capital, Naypyitaw, on Thursday pledging their commitment to a peace agreement. l

A Department of Conservation worker tends to a whale stranded on Farewell Spit, a famous spot for whale beachings, in Golden Bay on New Zealand’s South Island yesterday. Nearly 200 pilot whales stranded themselves on New Zealand’s South Island yesterday, with hordes of rescuers rushing to the remote area in a bid to guide them back to sea AP

Nearly 200 pilot whales stranded on New Zealand n AP, Sydney Nearly 200 pilot whales stranded themselves on New Zealand’s South Island yesterday, and hordes of rescuers rushed to the remote area in a bid to guide them back to sea.

Two dozen of the 198 whales had already died despite efforts to save the

creatures, which were found stranded on Farewell Spit, a famous spot for whale beachings, Department of Conservation area manager Andrew Lamason said.

About 80 conservation workers and volunteers were trying to refloat the whales as high tide rolled in, Lamason said. But with such a vast number of animals stranded, workers were brac-

ing for days of arduous work to move the whales back into the water.

And even if the whales were refloated, that was no guarantee they would survive, Lamason said.

“We’ve had plenty times in the past where the pods have gone out to sea and turned around and come back again,” Lamason said. “We’re prepar-

ing for a big few days.”

Pilot whales grow to about 20 feet (6 meters), and large strandings are common during the New Zealand summer.

Experts describe Farewell Spit, located on the northwest corner of South Island, as a whale trap due to the way its shallow waters seem to confuse whales and diminish their ability to navigate. l

India sending top diplomat to Pakistan n Reuters, New Delhi

Brides and grooms run away from a giant flower ball as a part of an adventure-themed wedding ceremony in Ratchaburi Province, Thailand yesterday on the eve of Valentine’s Day

It’s Valentine’s Day in Thailand, call the police n AP, Bangkok Ah, Valentine’s Day. Call the police, or better yet the Moral Promotion Center.

In most countries, Feb. 14 is a highly commercialised day of romance.

In Thailand, it’s also a time for strict warnings — and this year a new Twitter hashtag aimed at preventing premarital sex.

The Culture Ministry’s Moral Promotion Center launched a widely publicised campaign earlier this week called “Just a Meal for Valentine’s Day” that urges teens to go home after their dinner dates. It’s also asking youths to show support for the campaign by tweeting (hashtag)DinnerOnly in Thai.

A Twitter search yesterday found that the request had drawn varied reactions of mockery with many postings of the Thai equivalent to LOL! Despite its well-earned reputation to the outside world as a freewheeling destination for sex tourism, Thailand’s socially conservative authorities are on a constant mission to uphold the country’s traditional Buddhist values among Thai people. Hollywood movies are censored with sex scenes and cigarette smoking pixelated out, and

Thai soap operas can’t show alcohol consumption. Authorities annually warn youths to avoid “inappropriate activities” on Valentine’s Day, which is widely celebrated in Thailand.

Police have also warned nightclubs nationwide not to admit underage customers “Parents and teachers should create correct understanding about Valentine’s Day with children,” Narathip Pumsap, the Moral Promotion Center’s director, was quoted as saying on the English-language website of the Khaosod newspaper. Narathip suggested that instead of engaging in intimacy, teens “show love to their family, society, themselves and the country.”

This year’s campaign comes amid a morality overhaul initiated by Thailand’s military government, which took power from an elected administration following a coup last May.

The Ministry of Culture said it conducted a recent survey that found 83% of Thai teenagers planned to have sex on Valentine’s Day, according to The Nation and several other Thai newspapers, which did not say whether the survey had a margin of error.

The National Police Force has asked parents and teachers to inform children of the “dangers” of Valentine’s Day and to avoid “risky behavior,” police Maj. Gen Patipat Suban Na Ayuuthaya told a news conference earlier this week, according to the Khaosod newspaper.

Police have also warned nightclubs nationwide not to admit underage customers. Patipat said that all police units would be on alert until Sunday to “increase vigilance in risky areas” such as nightclubs, and urged entertainment venues to call police hotlines to reports cases of youths trying to enter.

One all-girl’s school in Bangkok took the extra step of holding a Valentine’s Day self-defense class earlier this week. Thai media showed policewomen on stage in the auditorium of the Sainampeung School flipping a man before an assembly of hundreds of students. l

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is sending his top diplomat to Pakistan as part of a regional tour, the first top-ranking visit since Modi broke off talks last year over the disputed region of Kashmir.

The sign of a thaw in ties comes weeks after a visit to India by US President Barack Obama.

The United States has long privately encouraged dialogue between India and Pakistan hoping that better ties between the nuclear-armed neighbors could lead to cooperation in other areas such as Afghanistan.

Modi called his Pakistani counterpart, Nawaz Sharif, early yesterday to wish his country luck in the World Cup cricket tournament beginning this weekend and to tell him that new Foreign Secretary Subrahmanyan Jaishankar will soon visit Islamabad as well as other regional capitals.

The Indian government last year abruptly called off talks between the foreign secretaries, incensed that Pakistan’s envoy in New Delhi had hosted Kashmiri separatists in the run-up to those talks.

India considers the whole of Kash-

mir as an integral part of the country and the decision by Modi’s government to pull the plug on talks with Pakistan represented a stiffening of India’s stand on the 68-year-old dispute over the territory.

Pakistan criticised the decision to cancel the talks and there have since been calls, including from within India, that the two countries must remain engaged.

Sharif told Modi that he welcomed the proposed visit of the Indian envoy to Pakistan to discuss all issues of common interest, the Pakistani foreign office said in a statement.

The neighbors have fought two wars over Kashmir since independence from Britain in 1947 and ties remain difficult since a 2008 attack on Mumbai by Pakistan-based gunmen.

India wants speedy trials of those suspected to have orchestrated the attacks. Pakistan says it is doing all it can.

Modi said in a Twitter post that he called the leaders of Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, besides Pakistan to wish them luck in the cricket tournament being held in Australia.

India play Pakistan in their opening game on Sunday. l

AP

Indonesian Muslim clerics angered by Valentine’s Day n AFP, Jakarta Indonesia’s top Islamic clerical body threatened yesterday to issue a fatwa against the sale of condoms following reports that the contraceptives were being sold together with chocolate to mark Valentine’s Day. Pictures of chocolate bars packaged with condoms have been published in newspapers and circulated on social media in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country in recent days.

The Indonesian Council of Ulema’s chairman Ma’ruf Amin said that the body was investigating the reports, adding that it was against the sale of condoms as they “provide opportunities for people to engage in pre-marital sex.”

“The sale of condoms has led to prostitution and free sex,” he told AFP. “We have long rejected the condomisation of our society.”

He added that if the reports were true, “it is very possible that we will issue a fatwa restricting the sale of condoms freely in this country.” l

Modi summons police official after Christian school attack n Reuters, New Delhi Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday summoned Delhi’s top policeman after a sixth attack on a Christian building in the capital in the last two months, fuelling concerns that religious minorities are being targeted.

Suspects broke into a Christian school in south Delhi yesterday, stole some money, damaged closed-circuit television cameras and ransacked parts of the building. Police say they suspect the case is one of burglary rather than intimidation.

“The prime minister expressed his concern and said this case must be solved immediately,” said Delhi’s police commissioner, BS Bassi. “He said that security must be foolproof so that attacks don’t re-occur.”

Political rivals have accused the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata

Party of exploiting religious divisions since taking power last May. Hundreds of Christians clashed with police last week, demanding better government protection.

Religious intolerance in India would have shocked freedom fighter icon Mahatma Gandhi, US President Barack Obama said last week.

India’s success depended on its not splintering along religious lines, Obama said on a visit last month.

Even after a spate of attacks, Modi, a self-proclaimed Hindu nationalist, has yet to publicly comment on the violence.In a statement yesterday, Modi said he summoned the Delhi police commissioner to express concerns over the “rising crime rate in the capital.” There was mention of attacks on churches.Incidents of arson, vandalism and burglary have been reported from at least six Christian buildings since December. l

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Saturday, February 14, 2015

CODE-CRACKER

Unite to help victims

M

edical professionals and hospitals are having to cope with huge pressures as they work to care for victims of political violence.

Over 123 people with burn injuries were admitted for specialist treatment at DCMH in the first month of the blockade.

Around half this number still remain under care in its burns unit and dozens more are receiving or awaiting treatment at other hospitals across the county.

While the government has set up funds to support victims, much more clearly needs to be done to ensure all victims receive proper care. More people are being maimed with burn injuries which require specialist care every day.

Every possible effort needs to made to ensure hospitals receive the resources they need to look after victims.

Going forward, a co-ordinated effort needs to be made to provide financial assistance and therapeutic support to help rehabilitate victims.

Everyone can play a part in helping to raise funds to support victims of violence. Community groups and businesses can help NGOs and hospitals by pooling resources to collect money and provide practical assistance to help victims on the long road to getting back on their feet.

For ordinary members of the public, solidarity with victims is a means by which they can express abhorrence at unconscionable acts of violence while helping those worst affected. It is a way to show the public will not be cowed into thinking it is helpless in the face of violence.

Authorities should disseminate more information about ways people can help burns victims, directly or otherwise.

Be heard Write to Dhaka Tribune FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Sukrabad, Dhaka-1207 Email letters.dt@dhakatribune.com Send us your Op-Ed articles: opinion.dt@dhakatribune.com www.dhakatribune.com Join our Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/DhakaTribune

Everyone can play a part in supporting victims

Japan trade deal shows way forward

W

e welcome news that the Japanese government is planning to amend trade rules to help Bangladeshi knitwear exporters.

The announcement made during the visit by Japan’s deputy foreign minister to Dhaka, indicates Japan will further relax conditions for rules of origin to facilitate more Bangladesh knit apparel exports to their market.

It is a valuable boost to Bangladeshi businesses seeking to grow exports to the world’s 3rd biggest economy.

While most attention is drawn

by Japan’s commitments to help fund major infrastructure developments in Bangladesh, it is essential the government also applies lessons learned from its success in this trade matter across all of our diplomatic missions.

Most of our export growth is attributable to efforts made by the private sector. The government needs to do more to help these efforts achieve more success.

Bangladesh’s overseas diplomatic missions need to become far more ambitious and effective in building trade links. Many of the moves underway to develop more designated commercial officers at overseas missions are still paltry in scope and limited in their impact.

If the economy is to perform to its potential, we do not just need to resolve the political crisis to create a conducive business environment.

The country also needs to improve its representation in global trade negotiations and maximise the ability of diplomatic missions to attract investment and encourage exports.

The government needs to improve training and provide the resources to allow diplomats to play a better role in growing overseas trade.

Maximise the ability of diplomatic missions to attract investment and encourage exports

How to solve: Each number in our CODE-CRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 8 represents L so fill L every time the figure 8 appears.

You have two letters in the control grid to start you off. Enter them in the appropriate squares in the main grid, then use your knowledge of words to work out which letters go in the missing squares.

Some letters of the alphabet may not be used.

As you get the letters, fill in the other squares with the same number in the main grid, and the control grid. Check off the list of alphabetical letters as you identify them.

Will Tigers roar?

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

February 11

The half page report, published on February 11, is in all possibility a fond dream. Had our team been “Bengal Tigers,” then we could hope for it to roar.

In reality, all said and done, we are just “Bangladesh Cats,” and the best we can do is to let “mew,” that also rhymes with “rue.” While we can only rue the chances gone awry!

After all, it is said that “cricket is a game of

12,000 Ansar men to be deployed on highways January 29 Jitu Sheikh Jinat Mahmid And still I don’t feel secure enough to travel ...

Saif Kamal What are we heading to? :(

MPs’ relatives to also enjoy car sticker privileges January 30 Dr Ahsan Habib Why does an MP need a sticker, let alone the family members? Hasina loves to compare Bangladesh to the USA. US senators and congressmen do not carry any stickers to enjoy any extra privileges on the road. Why do Bangladeshi lawmakers get to enjoy such privileges?

Fine polluting tannery owners

January 30

RetiredBUET And close them down.

Stocks keep losing as investors remain worried over political unrest January 30

stockmarketanalyst (skype) This down movement of DSEX doesn’t seem good for small investors as they are worried. But I think it is a good opportunity for institutional investors to enter in long-term trade. As a mid-to-long-term trader, I always wait for prices to come down so that I can enter at lower price with the lowest possible risk.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

chances,” if only we were good enough to grab them! We are unfortunately excellent in missing chances that come our way; forget about taking half chances as a sure catch! That our players do possibly regularly, but only in dreams! That is the rude but true “sun and substance” of Bangladesh Cricket Eleven’s usual performance!

In batting we usually flop; but do score only when provided chances by the opposing team!

May be that is what our players are busy praying; when in their hotel rooms. In bowling; pace and swing are rare; but may be sometimes there, but those times are few and far between. About fielding; the less said the better. If the ball luckily falls right between the outstretched palms and stays there; that is a great catch! “Dolly catches” are not in our cricket vocabulary! We are very familiar with “missed catches.”

From Albania to Zanzibar, any country has 50:50 chances of winning against us! All they got to know is the rules of the game; and watch a few cricket marches; and they can take on Bangladesh!

A Casual Cricketer, Dhaka.

SUDOKU How to solve: Fill in the blank spaces with the numbers 1 – 9. Every row, column and 3 x 3 box must contain all nine digits with no number repeating.

Humanity vs indecency January 30

Son Zoo Our PM’s heart bleeds for Ms Zia’s loss ...

Zero-Agenda Son Zoo: That’s “MRS Zia” to you ...

Evil People Politics A truly sad state of affairs.

The true cost of cars January 31

rose Traffic congestion is indeed a big problem in Dhaka city. This needs to be solved.

Abellard the Greek-lover Lower the amount of cars on our streets? I’m all for it! But we need to drastically improve the state of our public transportation to facilitate that.

Rangamati adivasis firm to resist medical college, tech university January 31

People The government should not proceed to new projects without implementing the existing incomplete ones – of them, implementing the Peace Accord, is the most important thing.

Establishing new educational institutions is also very pertinent, as the quality of education in the existing institutions is not up to the level. Without implementation of the existing projects, no one would be happy to see new projects pouring in by the bucket with existing, unfinished projects not even touched.

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Workers in stone (6) 6 Faucet (3) 9 Conscious of (5) 10 Habitual dwelling (4) 11 Yields (5) 12 Monkey (3) 13 Dry inflammable matter (6) 15 Direction (4) 18 Excuse (4) 21 Bucolic (6) 24 Little devil (3) 25 Degrade (5) 28 Equipment (4) 29 Fastener (5) 30 Insect (3) 31 Replenishes (6)

DOWN 1 Parrot (5) 2 Respectful fear (3) 3 In a sorrowful way (5) 4 Metal-bearing rock (3) 5 Nidus (4) 6 Ugly amphibian (4) 7 Electrical unit (6) 8 Look narrowly (4) 14 Short sleep (3) 16 Quickness of perception (6) 17 Become firm (3) 19 Permission (5) 20 Encourages in crime (5) 21 Latvian capital (4) 22 Young oyster (4) 23 Be concerned (4) 26 Container (3) 27 Use needle and thread (3)

TIB: Auditor general’s office riddled by corruption

January 30 Sammy Waiting for the govt spokesmen, and their predictable apologists, to term TIB as a “razakar” institution and the TIB members as war criminals.

164 cops get IG’s badge for 2014 January 30 kabdullah Thumbs down!

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER

CROSSWORD

BNP calls hartal in 9 districts for Thursday PEANUTS

January 28 BNP! <3 BNP FOR BANGLADESH! <3

Govt to establish 13,861 community clinics

January 28 Nizam Ahmad Clinics that don’t function or give you tetanus and wrong treatments.

Free us from politics of violence January 29 RS Why on Earth are hartals and the blockades not being banned?!

SUDOKU

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

11

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Just for news and entertainment n Ekram Kabir

S

BIGSTOCK

Let him without sin cast the first stone

I

n Esam Sohail

t is not by coincidence or even sheer habit of verbosity that the ruling party’s ministers and their sympathisers in the media rarely refer to the BNP without using the “BNP-Jamaat” moniker.

Not only is the Islamist party a formal part of the 20-party opposition alliance, but it was also a member of the previous BNP government.

What is more pertinent, however, is that the Jamaat’s role in 1971 and its continuing emphasis on an Islamist regime grates on the nerves of not only the “chetona” type of people, but also of those progressive centre-right kind of folks like myself who have never been fans of the Awami League’s authoritarian tendencies.

It is a win-win for the AL public relations folks, since the bogeyman of the Jamaat has genuine historical validity and can be used effectively to tar an otherwise legitimate movement for credible elections by kindling doubts in those people who, otherwise, would not support the regime.

But inklings of theocratic absurdity or controversial roles in the movement for the independence of Bangladesh are hardly limited to the BNP side of the aisle, even without discussing the AL-Jamaat alliance of the mid-1990s.

Let us go a decade earlier than that.

I remember the 1980s all too well, growing up in Dhaka when the sole television station was little more than a constant visual cacophony of the

glories of the autocrat in power. This gentleman, by a sleight-of-hand that is peculiar to his kind of rulers, inserted the state religion clause in the constitution and claimed that he had saved Bangladesh for the Almighty!

In one fell swoop of a dictator’s pen, the republic had become one where, constitutionally, a Muslim was just a tad more important than a non-Muslim.

There is no dearth of past villains on either side when it comes to the War of Independence or compromise with religious zealotry

Apparently the Almighty was not happy yet; so the good general went one step further and decided to cut off Bangladesh from global commerce for half the week by decreeing that Friday should be the weekly holiday.

His pir at Sarshina thanked the gentleman publicly at a large rally and called him an “even greater Muslim than Field Marshal Ayub Khan.” Now that is some praise indeed, isn’t it? And where is this 1980s-era autocrat now?

Whose cabinet is he serving in as an ministerial level special ambassador?

And let us not forget the signal service this autocrat did for those who carried out the grisly massacre of August 15, 1975. He invited the self-proclaimed ringleader from exile, set him up with a dubiously named “Freedom Party,” gave him free television time, and had him run as an “opposition” candidate in the presidential elections, rehabilitating the ringleader politically in ways that would have been unimaginable until then.

The irony is, of course, that the clever general himself got stage managed into becoming the make-believe “opposition” in the January 5, 2014 electoral exercise.

But I digress.

I am looking at the jumbo collection of the cabinet and chuckling every time the word chetona comes up. At least two of the cabinet-level advisers were, until mid-December 1971, faithful and loyal servants of the Yahya Khan bureaucracy, working diligently to keep the integrity of Pakistan.

Two other ministers, both claiming the pro-Beijing label once, were prominent in the Dhaka papers right up to the winter of 1970-1971 in the defense of a “united” Pakistan as a bulwark against “Indian hegemony.”

In fact, one of them was quoted as late as in 1973, in the premier vernacular daily as wanting to “skin Sheikh Mujibur Rahman alive,” while the other one blamed the same Sheikh Mujib for personally stealing that year’s

parliamentary polls, costing him his chance at a National Assembly seat!

Don’t get me wrong. Many people can and do mature, evolve in their political thinking, and speak and act with more prudence and passion with the passage of time. Age and experience often imparts a sense of wisdom that no book on political philosophy ever can. My point in bringing up such counter-intuitive and unflattering observations is neither to belittle such evolution nor to denigrate the wisdom of age; rather it is but to suggest that there is no dearth of past villains on either side when it comes to the War of Independence or compromise with religious zealotry.

On the contrary, a bizarre phenomenon is quite evident going through news reports. There are commentators waxing eloquent on news media about the spirit of liberation, commentators who were nowhere near the frontlines in 1971; at the same time, not a word is uttered about how men who actually fought that war and led from the frontlines are being hounded by the state machinery of a regime which curiously claims to be defending that very spirit.

As the old parable goes, let him without sin cast the first stone, a parable remembered by many of an earlier generation of movie-goers who fondly hum that number “je jon paap na korechhe, je paapi nohe.” l

ay there are 20 television channels, another 20 newspapers, and another five online news portals based in Dhaka city alone. So, we can roughly estimate that about 90 journalists, photojournalists, and camera-persons would be present if there was an incident worth covering. Hmm ... 90!

I won’t be surprised if the figure rises up to 100. This is exactly what has been happening in Dhaka Medical College’s Burn Unit. At least 100-or-so news-related persons are reportedly visiting DMC’s little unit on a daily basis.

Along with them, as the media reported, the music video and documentary makers have also been visiting the place, and filming and taking photos of the people who have been seriously wounded in the ongoing arson attacks across the country.

A photograph of a burned patient standing in front of a black screen by his bed and a photographer taking his picture has been published widely in the newspapers. This has certainly shocked the audience across the country. Reportedly, a few video-makers had also taken models in the Burn Unit. How can someone ask a person in pain to get down from his bed and pose? Who in his right mind would force a patient to do that?

Why are the DMC authorities allowing this kind of act? The patients who have been admitted in the unit for burn injury are highly susceptible to infection. My common sense says the movement of visitors in there should be very restricted.

How can someone ask a person in pain to get down from his bed and pose?

Esam Sohail is an educational research analyst and college lecturer of social sciences. He writes from Kansas, USA.

If not done so, visitors would be doing great harm to the suffering burned persons who are lying in grave pain there.

I’m sure there are hospital guidelines which the journalists as well as the filmmakers have violated.

Of course, we do agree that the media needs to provide information of the suffering people. But when it comes to about 23 TV channels and more than 23 newspapers in Dhaka city, there has to be some mechanism in place that can easily provide the information to the people at large.

This is where, I believe, the newsmen have to think what they would

a good attempt at governance, but it stops short.

European policy-makers must comprehend that good neighbourliness does not only take place between countries, but also between communities. Inter-existence with Muslims in European cities, but also with other groups such as Ukrainians, is as important a practice of good governance and good neighbourliness as fostering good Eurasian relations.

So the citizens of Europe as well as

lions of people who have sunk into the depths of absolute deprivation precisely because they traverse the national borders that they, victimised by structural violence, hold responsible for their captivity into poverty and injustice.

In Jordan, it means not forgetting about the alienated Syrian and Jordanian children who have been rendered vulnerable. Human development, specifically through long-term education plans and inclusive community

do and how they would provide the information to their audience.

Being in the media, I have always felt the need for concrete editorial guidelines for journalists during times like these. I remember when Reshma came out of the Rana Plaza rubble after 17 days, we sort of cordoned her like hungry hounds for getting an interview.

If there were ethical business policies for these organisations, they would also perhaps act in a sensible manner

I also remember in 2005, when a wounded militant who lost one hand and one leg by the same bomb he had set off in a Chittagong court was being interviewed by a journalist by his hospital bedside. Now, this bomber might be a criminal, but was this the time to interrogate him, either by the media or by the police?

There was another occasion when a TV journalist was seen trying to talk to a man lying and bleeding on the street, wounded by the bombs he was carrying. Certainly he would be tried in the court of law, but as journalists, would we try to get his clip at that moment?

I doubt that. No journalist in his/ her right mind would want to do that.

Contrary to this common belief, we the media men of Bangladesh are sometimes committing this hubris of putting the suffering humans into more suffering.

In the pursuit of news-gathering, we sometimes forget the humane side of acquiring the information. We forget to assess the situation on the ground, or ignore assessing it in the face of steep competition among the 23 TV channels.

The reason for this, perhaps, is that none of the news organisations maintains a well-thought out and well-documented editorial policy or guidelines for its journalists to follow.

And for the advertising agencies or media houses, there’s perhaps nothing to follow other than making money. If there were ethical business policies for these organisations, they would also perhaps act in a sensible manner.

We better make sure that we see some changes in our journalistic as well as our entertainment attitudes. l Ekram Kabir is Head of Program, ABC Radio 89.2, and a Dhaka Tribune columnist.

Solidarity, not revenge n Prince El Hassan bin Talal

T

he excruciating death of our pilot, Muath al-Kaseasbeh, at the hands of Daesh/ISIS militants has rallied Jordanians and the world at-large. Much like “Je suis Charlie,” we are all Muath as well.

The truth of these proclamations is evident, but the mission to which they call us is more intricate and transformative than the international media portrays. For we Jordanians know more than most that progress in fighting fanaticism does not come from exacting revenge on individuals.

To be sure, we will struggle against such evil, and we will win.

But the issue of our people, our neighbours, and our friends being targets of extremism is not a new phenomenon. From the heinous terrorist bomb attacks on our hotels in Amman that claimed over 60 lives in 2005, to the recurring cycles of violence throughout the region that have displaced millions of Palestinians, Egyptians, Iraqis, and Syrians inside our borders, Jordan has faced the consequences of asymmetric warfare every decade.

We understand that eradicating extremism, including this latest evil that we see in Daesh, requires that we address socio-historical conditions that continue to marginalise and demean Arab youth and their communities in West Asia, North Africa, Europe, and beyond.

The Jordanian government has recently made strong statements about the scope of Jordan’s retaliation with “just the beginning” of its “multiple targets.”

Reminded of Rev Martin Luther King, I speak now “with all the humility that is appropriate to our limited vision” in order to stress the importance of internationalism and making connections across borders to see global struggles as our own.

Our approach to fighting such oppression must be founded on an ethic of human solidarity that is broader than Jordan. This attack on multiple targets must be made in conjunction with the support of network intelligence gathering from Boko Haram to Raqqa and to a multitude of universal targets.

It is how we will learn to differentiate when we talk to sleepers inside our region, through moral, and not just military, re-armament.

At the core of these efforts is the patent truth that real security is human security, one that takes a long-range view of human welfare and addresses long-term issues of poverty and injustice and not only the short-term causes of particular violent conflicts.

For millions of people, structural violence has become a fact of life; their suffering – the banality of their pain – is the inevitable product of the postcolonial debris with which nation-states in our region continue to grapple with to this day.

That some, like Afghanistan and Iraq, have all but failed, and others, like Syria, have succumbed to state violence has eroded people’s trust in states’ capacity for social management.

When we read that some 3,000 so-called “European jihadists,” or “war tourists” as Paul Collier has aptly put it, have joined Daesh, we must remember that it is this socio-political, and not a religious, vacuum that groups like Daesh are filling with their platform of populist hatred.

These state and social failures apply to Europe too. As Juan Cole, Richard P Mitchell Collegiate Professor of History at the University of Michigan, recently commented in response to the Charlie Hebdo attacks: “Al-Qaeda wants to mentally colonise French Muslims, but faces a wall of disinterest.

But if it can get non-Muslim French to be beastly to ethnic Muslims on the grounds that they are Muslims, it can start creating a common political identity around grievance against discrimination.”

The sensationalist tendencies of our contemporary global media have offered an ideal echo chamber for the warped and corrupt ideologies of these militant groups.

We must better utilise this echo chamber to put forth convincing ideologies that strengthen the possibility for human solidarity. The European Neighbourhood Policy, which attempts to tie the periphery to the centre, is

We must remember that it is this socio-political, and not a religious, vacuum that groups like Daesh are filling with their platform of populist hatred

of West Asia and North Africa, Arabs, and non-Arabs, followers of all faiths, must stand up and be counted.

An ethic of human solidarity, of humanitarianism, must take us both beyond and in the midst of national allegiances in order to present a convincing alternative to the nihilistic, but unfortunately uniting, ideologies of radical and militant groups like Boko Haram, Daesh, and Ansar Bayt Al Maqdis.

They are appealing to the mil-

centers that seek to change attitudes, is the ultimate goal of our national development.

It is the ultimate goal of imaginative, long-term international policies that must help and include the desperate, rejected and angry young men and women from the Parisian banlieues to Raqqa, Syria.

This broader context for good neighbourhood policies throws into relief the very qualities of inter-existence, mutual obligation, and a

reasonable level of tolerance whereby these borders are markers of our respective cultural specificities but not hindrances to practices of solidarity and reciprocity.

Our problems are not new. The faces of the unvirtuous who exploit these problems for remapping power and wealth do change, but the root causes remain predictable. Hasn’t the time arrived for us to revive an inter-disciplinary and eco-social framework for a world humanitarian order?

Inequalities that are incompatible with human dignity anywhere are politically, socially, and economically destabilising everywhere. We need to find out how people, the disenfranchised, think, and we must think with them towards long-term solutions, in good times and in bad.

Good governance engages the needy – those who see themselves as discarded by society – so that they can live with dignity and begin to see themselves as integral to social order and stability. Regional stabilisation will only be achieved in the context of recognising security as humanitarian. That is the real war that we must struggle to win in Jordan and the world at large. l Prince El Hassan bin Talal is a member of the Hashemite Royal Family, working to address issues such as regional integration, inter-faith dialogues, water, energy and the human environment and human dignity. This article previously appeared on The Huffington Post.

12

DHAKA TRIBUNE Saturday, February 14, 2015

UPCOMING MATCHES

TODAY New Zealand v Sri Lanka, 4am Australia v England, 9:30am TOMORROW South Africa v Zimbabwe, 7am India v Pakistan, 9:30am

13 Excitement

builds on eve of World Cup

14 Malinga fit for

Sri Lanka’s World Cup opener

Sport

Did you know?

Glenn McGrath took 26 wickets in the 2007 WC and topped the wickets tally. This is the most wickets by any bowler in a single edition

WORLD CUP HEAD-TO-HEAD

AUSTRALIA

ENGLAND

6 4

Matches Wins

6 2

253/5

Highest totals

247

159/9

Lowest totals

93

OVERALL

130

Matches

130

76

Wins

49

BATTING

Ricky Ponting (104) Ricky Ponting (86)

Most runs Highest score

Graham Gooch (146) Kevin Pietersen (104)

BOWLING

Andy Bichel (7) Andy Bichel (7/20)

Most wickets Best bowling

Andrew Caddick (4) Ian Botham (4/31)

PROBABLE XI

Australia’s David Warner and Steve Smith (R) take part in fielding practice at the Melbourne Cricket Ground yesterday AFP

“I’d love to say it would count for something but I honestly don’t think it does. I think England have made some really positive changes to the way they chance and their structure. I personally think they look really dangerous.”

- GEORGE BAILEY

David Warner, Aaron Finch, Shane Watson, Steven Smith, George Bailey (C), Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh, Brad Haddin (WK), Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood.

Ian Bell, Moeen Ali, Joe Root, James Taylor, Eoin Morgan (C), Ravi Bopara, Jos Buttler (WK), Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, Steve Finn, James Anderson.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Maxwell is probably in the form of his life right now.

The big-hitting right-hander will be confident heading into their World Cup opener against England, having blasted a whirlwind hundred against India in the warm-up MAXWELL

IAN BELL

Over the years, Bell has slowly become the most established English batsman, what with the departures of veterans like Andrew Strauss and Kevin Pietersen et al. On his day, the elegant Bell can be an extreme delight

England batsman Ian Bell (L) talks to team coach Peter Moores during a nets training session at the Melbourne Cricket Ground yesterday AFP

“That’s rich coming from him.” - James Anderson responds to Geoff Boycott’s assertion that Eoin Morgan is “not as good as he thinks he is” - JAMES ANDERSON

England face great Australian barrier in opener n AFP, Melbourne England face a formidable task against hosts Australia in their World Cup opener at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday as they look to end a depressing run against the old enemy.

England, chasing a maiden World Cup title, head into the tournament with fresh painful memories of three losses to the Australians, including a crushing 112-run defeat in last month’s tri-series final.

Eoin Morgan’s team have to turn around a wretched record of two wins from their last 15 ODI encounters in

Australia before an expected 90,000 crowd at the MCG. The last of England’s three losing World Cup finals was in Australia in 1992.

Adding to their problems is that in a tough Pool A they will also face 1996 winners Sri Lanka and the improving tournament co-hosts New Zealand.

England are banking on home expectations getting the better of the Australians as it proved when the World Cup was last held Down Under 23 years ago and they knocked the Aussies out in the semi-finals.

“It’s important to focus on what we

do best. I think a lot of times in the past we’ve strived for a formula that hasn’t been ours,” Morgan said.

“I think if we can produce what I think is our best cricket on Saturday, we’ll be able to beat Australia.”

The Australians, who will go into the tournament opener without skipper Michael Clarke as he strives for full fitness after hamstring surgery, are looking for the impetus of a commanding victory to get the country behind them for the rest of the six-week tournament.

“There’s pressure on every team in any World Cup, wherever you’re playing, to win,” Australia coach Darren

Lehmann said.

“For us it’s about embracing our own country and getting the support from the crowd, entertaining them and playing the brand of cricket we have over the last 18 months in the one-day format.

“If we do that, the results will look after themselves.

“We don’t look any further ahead than England and looking forward to great crowd support and putting on a good show.”

Australia are peaking at the right time for a crack at their fifth World Cup triumph and have only lost one of their

last 12 ODIs against all-comers.

Australia accounted for the thirdranked South Africans 4-1 in a series at home last November and comfortably beat England and India in the tri-series in the final weeks before the World Cup. Morgan has issues of his own heading into cricket’s showpiece with three ducks in his last four outings restricting his meaningful batting practice.

“I’m not really that concerned. I’ve had a couple of low scores, but obviously I’m looking to cash in on Saturday if I manage to get past 10 to 20 balls,” Morgan said.

“Four or five games since I last scored a 100, so I don’t have to look that far back to actually reconnect with what works well for me.

“I took a lot out of that 100 I scored in Sydney (last month), particularly as it was against Australia. I take a lot of confidence from that game.”

Lehmann mischievously hopes Morgan’s batting troubles continue for a little while longer.

“He’s a good player. I’d like him to continue that run against us on Saturday, but he’s a fine player so we’ll come up with our plans as we did in the tri-series,” he said. l

BCB boss to fly Down Under n Mazhar Uddin

Artists perform in the World Cup celebration concert at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday

MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

Four warm-up defeats in as many matches, including the four-wicket loss against Associates Ireland last Thursday, have shattered the morale of the Bangladesh cricket team and raised many concerns on the eve of the 2015 ICC World Cup. And with their Pool A opener against Afghanistan looming in the horizon, Bangladesh Cricket Board president will be looking to boost the morale of the cricketers. The BCB boss is all set to fly for Australia tomorrow where he will have conversations with the demoralised cricketers.

“I have seen in the newspapers what Mashrafe [bin Mortaza] said after the defeat and it appeared that they are mentally down. Now it’s time to boost their morale. So, we are flying to Australia and I hope that I can reach there

before the match. I will talk to the cricketers. I think winning and losing is part of the game but Thursday’s defeat was disappointing. I thought we could win that game but we failed,” Nazmul told the media yesterday.

I think our main problem is the batting department. We could not perform so far.

We need at least 2-3 batsmen to score big The BCB president also informed that he will talk to the cricketers over phone before departing for Australia.

The Tigers’ batting department failed to last the 50 overs against the Irish, for the fourth match in succession, having been dismissed for 189 in

Playing with freedom will banish England’s demons: Pietersen

Clarke feared career was finished

n Reuters, London

n AFP, Sydney

Exiled England batsman Kevin Pietersen believes his former team mates can win the World Cup if they play with freedom even though their dreadful record in the last five tournaments suggests otherwise.

Since reaching the final of the 1992 World Cup, where they lost to Pakistan, England’s form at the tournament is the worst of the frontline cricketing nations.

England have won 16 matches since 1992, compared to four-times champions

Australia’s 38 and better only than Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. They are also the only leading nation not to have qualified for at least one semi-final in that time.

But Pietersen, England’s leading World Cup scorer with 575 runs for 13 innings - still only the 31st best of all nations - told the Daily Telegraph ahead of England’s World Cup opener against Australia in Melbourne on Saturday that a lack of expectation could work in their favour.

“I really do believe they have an outside chance of winning this World

Cup,” Pietersen said. “They can play with freedom because nobody really expects them to win the tournament and this should be reflected in positivity throughout their batting.

“England have struggled in World Cups for 20 years because we have played directly after an Ashes and have been mentally shot. There are no excuses this time.”

England captain Eoin Morgan replaced Alastair Cook after the Essex batsman was dumped for a lack of form late last year. l

Hobbled Australian captain Michael Clarke said Friday he feared his career was finished as he toiled to recover from hamstring surgery.

But the 33-year-old veteran, who will sit out Saturday’s World Cup opener against old enemy England, also admitted that if he was forced to quit, then he would accept his fate.

“When scans confirmed I had torn my hamstring (after the last day of the Adelaide Test against India) I thought I

might just have played my last game of cricket,” Clarke told the Sydney Daily Telegraph.

“I had suffered my fourth hamstring (injury) in six months and my back was flaring up.

“I had just scored a century in memory of my little ‘brother’ (Phillip Hughes, the Test batsman who died after being hit by a bouncer in a domestic game in November) in a winning Test side.

“If that was to be the end, I thought, I would have no regrets.” l

48.2 overs.

Skipper Mashrafe raised doubts as to whether some of the cricketers were treating the warm-ups seriously. He added that the loss against Ireland will serve as a warning sign ahead of their opening game.

The Tigers had experienced a bitter defeat against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup last year and according to Nazmul, both the Afghans and Scotland are better suited to the conditions in Australia and New Zealand than Bangladesh.

“No doubt, Scotland and Afghanistan are the better sides in those conditions in comparison to us as Scotland posted a huge win over Ireland and also scored 310 against the West Indies while chasing 313. I think our main problem is the batting department. We could not perform so far. We need at least 2-3 batsmen to score big,” Nazmul added. l

Sport

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Excitement builds on eve of World Cup

QUICK BYTES

Rakib lifts CJKS Prime chess title Grandmaster Abdullah al Rakib defeated Fide Master Nasir in the ninth round to clinch the title of the CJKS Prime Distributions Group Grandmasters Chess Tournament at MA Aziz Stadium in Chittagong yesterday. Rakib of Bangladesh Navy earned six points out of nine games and finished top while GM Vahidov Tair of Uzbekistan became the runners-up.

Rakib and Tair earned the same points.

But Rakib was chosen as the champion according to the tie-breaking system by virtue of registering more victories than Tair. GM Niaz Murshed of Mohammedan was third and IM Minhazuddin Ahmed of Navy became fourth. Niaz and Minhaz both earned 5.5 points each. IM Somak Palit of India was fifth with five points. The competition was held in the round-robin league system. A total of 10 players including three Grandmasters, four International Masters, two Fide Masters and a woman GM participated in the tournament.

–Tribune Desk

n Reuters, Melbourne

Chelsea and Everton charged after battle Chelsea and Everton have been charged by the Football Association with failing to control their players, but Branislav Ivanovic won’t face punishment over his clash with James McCarthy. Blues defender Ivanovic tangled with Everton midfielder McCarthy during a mass brawl after Toffees star Gareth Barry was sent off in the 86th minute at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday. A panel of former referees studied the incident, in which Ivanovic was accused of butting McCarthy on the back of his head, but decided it was not worthy of a red card.

The FA also investigated claims made on social media that Ivanovic had bitten McCarthy. The organisation studied all video footage and contacted Everton, and found conclusively he had not done so.

–AFP

DAY’S WATCH Star Sports 1

ICC World Cup 9:30AM England v Australia

India captain MS Dhoni (R) shares a light moment with Virat Kolhi during a training session in Adelaide yesterday, ahead of their opening match against Pakistan in the 2015 ICC World Cup tomorrow AFP

For the first time in almost a quarter of a century, the cricket World Cup is back Down Under. For the traditionalists and newcomers alike, it is a long overdue return to one of the sport’s spiritual homes.

The sense of anticipation in Australia and New Zealand is building and the mood is infectious with millions of cricket fans around the world eagerly awaiting Saturday’s opening matches.

The first weekend has all the makings for a blockbuster. On Saturday, New Zealand hosts Sri Lanka in Christchurch, marking the city’s first major international sporting event since the devastating 2011 earthquake.

A few hours later, across the Tasman Sea, Australia face England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the same sprawling venue where the two great rivals staged the first ever One-Day International, in 1971.

Then on Sunday, South Africa meet neighbours Zimbabwe in Hamilton and India clash with their fiercest foes Pakistan in Adelaide.

“This could very well be the most watched game of cricket in that point of time in the history of cricket,” the tournament’s chief executive John Harnden said.

Fourteen teams have been divided into two groups for the six-week tournament, with the top four from each pool advancing to the quarter-finals.

In Group A, Australia, New Zealand, England and Sri Lanka are the favourites to advance, ahead of Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Scotland.

Group B is slightly more open. South Africa, India and Pakistan should all progress safely but West Indies, a fading giant in the 50-over game, are no sure bet to advance ahead of rank

Star Sports 2

ICC World Cup

Reds vow to make up for miserable history with Palace

4:00AM Sri Lanka v New Zealand

n AFP, London

7:30PM Hockey India League Delhi Waveriders v Ranchi Rays

Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana has warned Crystal Palace that his side are desperate to put the record straight at Selhurst Park in the FA Cup fifth round on Saturday.

Anyone connected with Liverpool would have been forgiven for cringing when they were paired with Palace in the last 16 after a series of embarrassing and costly results against the south Londoners.

Last season, several of Brendan Rodgers’ team left the field in tears after squandering their last chance of win-

Spanish La Liga 10:30PM Real Madrid CF v Deportivo de La Coruna 12:30AM Liga Bbva Granada v Athletic Bilbao 2:30AM Liga Bbva Malaga v RCD Espanyol

Star Sports 4

English FA Cup 6:40PM West Brom v West Ham 8:00PM Blackburn Rovers v Stoke City 11:30PM Crystal Palace v Liverpool

Ten Action 12:00AM Australian-League Newcastle Jets v WS Wanderers 7:30PM Indian-League Bengaluru FC v Shillong Lajong 1:00AM French Ligue 1 Monaco v Montpellier Herault

Ten Sports 2:00PM Asian Tour Thailand Classic Day 3 06:30PM AMRO Tennis Tournament Semi Finals 9:00PM Sky Bet Championship Birmingham City v Middlesbrough

Sony Six 6:00AM NBA All Star Celebrity Game 8:00AM BBVA Compass Rising Stars 2:00PM Red Bull Air Race Championship 2015 6:30PM Scottish Premiership St Johnstone v Celtic 8:30PM Rugby Six Nation England v Italy

13

Hammers blow as Carroll ruled out n AFP, London West Ham striker Andy Carroll will be out of action for up to six weeks after tearing a ligament in his knee, manager Sam Allardyce confirmed.

The 26-year-old was forced off in West Ham’s midweek 0-0 draw at Southampton as Allardyce’s side finished the game with only nine men following a red card for goalkeeper Adrian.

It is another setback for 26-year-old Carroll who missed the start of the season and much of last year with injuries.

“I think a full diagnosis is yet to come,” said Allardyce.l

ning the Premier League title as they blew a three-goal lead in an epic 3-3 draw at Selhurst.

They fared even worse on their first return to Palace, where they haven’t won since 1997, as the Eagles, then managed by Neil Warnock, romped to a 3-1 win in November that Rodgers regards as his club’s lowest point of the season.

As if those painful encounters with Palace weren’t enough to make Liverpool’s players and fans extremely concerned about their chances of advancing to the FA Cup quarter-finals, those with longer memories will also recall that Palace’s recently appointed manager Alan Pardew famously scored the winning goal when the Eagles shocked Liverpool

in the 1990 FA Cup semi-finals.

But England international Lallana believes the opportunity for redemption will prove the decisive factor, especially as Liverpool have improved dramatically since Rodgers altered his

FA CUP FIXTURES Blackburn Crystal Palace Derby West Brom

v v v v

Stoke Liverpool Reading West Ham

tactics in the aftermath of that chastening loss in November.

“It’s a massive game. We got taught a lesson by Palace earlier in the season.

We owe them one,” Lallana said.

“We’ve learned a lot from the difficulties we faced at the start of season.

“We have got everything to play for. Having a big mentality is massive, especially when you are at a club like Liverpool and have all these games to play.”

Manchester United will continue their lower league odyssey when they face League One side Preston North End at Deepdale on Monday.

Louis van Gaal’s team have narrowly avoided potential FA Cup upsets against minnows Yeovil and Cambridge this term and shouldn’t be taking victory for granted in their first encounter with Preston since 1972. l

LVG struggling with identity crisis n Reuters, London The table suggests Louis van Gaal is making progress at Manchester United but winning matches has never been good enough on its own at the Theatre of Dreams.

Van Gaal’s team have lost only once in their last 18 games, are third in the Premier League, five points behind champions Manchester City, and are on course to rejoin Europe’s elite.

Yet the fans, who down the years have salivated over some of the world’s great showmen parading their skills at Old Trafford and beyond, are feeling as though they are watching a bunch of

second-rate impersonators.

Experienced Dutchman Van Gaal has been reduced to waving around pieces of paper at news conferences to explain his team’s style of play after West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce said United were playing longball tactics against his side.

While Van Gaal may have steered the Old Trafford ship back in the right direction, he is yet to solve the identity crisis that coincided with the retirement of Alex Ferguson in 2013.

For the vast majority of Ferguson’s trophy-laden 26-year reign at Old Trafford, United played the kind of football the late Matt Busby craved.

“At Manchester United we strive for perfection and if we fail we might just have to settle for excellence,” Busby, one of United’s greatest managers, once said.

Fluent, expansive football, played with pace and panache was the United way. The personnel changed during the Fergsuon era, but the blueprint stayed the same. “You score, we’ll score more,” was the ethos ingrained in the great United sides.

Thrill-seekers revelled in watching the likes of Andrei Kanchelskis, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Eric Cantona, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo blow away opponents.l

outsiders United Arab Emirates and the improving Zimbabwe and Ireland teams.

For some of the teams, just making it to the World Cup is a dream come true. Afghanistan are competing for the first time. The seeds of their elevation in the sport were sown in 1992, the last time when the World Cup was held in Australia and New Zealand.

Thousands of Afghans who had learnt the game while living in refugee camps in Pakistan were inspired to take up the sport after watching Pakistan win. And now they have a team in the finals, albeit one of the underdogs.

This could very well be the most watched game of cricket, at this point of time, in the history Bookmakers have installed Australia as the early favourites, although host nations have a poor record in the tournament. In the previous 10 World Cups, only India (2011) have won the final on home soil.

The Australians have all the ingredients for a winning team to emulate India.

They have an explosive batting lineup, with opener David Warner and the in-form Steve Smith both capable of turning matches around and a lethal bowling attack led by Mitchell Johnson.

Shane Warne, a World Cup winner with Australia in 1999, is tipping his country to win again but concedes the title is wide open.

“We’ve been favourites a few times,” Warne said on Friday. “But I don’t think I’ve seen Australia go into any World Cup with so many match-winners. l

Afghanistan fend off dogged UAE in last WC warmup n Reuters, Melbourne Afghanistan will head into the cricket World Cup with momentum after downing a spirited United Arab Emirates by 14 runs in the teams’ last warmup match in Melbourne on Friday.

A match that had meandered for much of a steamy day at Melbourne’s Junction Oval sprang to life late in the afternoon as the dogged Emiratis scrambled hard to reel in their opponents’ 308-9.

All-rounders Rohan Mustafa (24) and Amjad Javed (18) mounted a lusty eighth wicket stand to push UAE within 20 runs of victory, but paceman Dawlat Zadran intervened to bowl Javed and the Middle Eastern minnows succumbed quickly thereafter.

Paceman Aftab Alam took 3-43 from his 6.2 overs to be the pick of the Afghanistan bowlers, including the match-winning wicket of tail-ender Saqlain Haider for one.

All-rounder Javed, one of the few home-grown Emirati players in the side and an airline cargo supervisor away from the game, took 4-39 to lead the UAE bowling.

Left-handed batsman Khurram Khan, the team’s 43-year-old talisman, sparkled with an 86 before being trapped lbw by Alam.

Samiullah Shenwari steadied the innings with a controlled 58 and helped to set up an imposing total.l

PSG seek home lift as Chelsea loom n AFP, Paris Casting a long shadow over Paris Saint-Germain’s Ligue 1 date with modest Caen this weekend is the imminent visit to the Parc des Princes of cross-channel giants Chelsea.

PSG square up to Jose Mourinho’s runaway Premier League leaders in the Champions League last 16 first leg on Tuesday with Laurent Blanc’s side itching for revenge.

Last season Chelsea blocked PSG’s passage to the Champions League semi-finals on away goals.

“Last year was an apprenticeship which must not be repeated,” PSG’s Qatari president Nasser Al-Khelaifi assured AFP at the draw in December.

At Thursday’s press conference, it was Chelsea inevitably rather than Caen preoccupying Blanc’s mind. l

FIXTURES PSG Lens Lille Monaco Nantes Toulouse

v v v v v v

Caen Evian Nice Montpellier Bastia Rennes

BCB president Nazmul Hasan (C), BOA secretary general Syed Shahed Reza (3L) and Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club president Manjur Kader (2R) inaugurated online web portal ‘The Daily Sports 24’ at BOA auditorium yesterday COURTESY

14

Sport

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Ancelotti backs Ronaldo after party criticism n Reuters, Madrid

Bao Tailiang, a Chinese photographer of Chengdu Economic Daily, won the First Prize in the Sports Category, Singles, of the 2015 World Press Photo contest with this picture of Argentina’s player Lionel Messi coming to face with the World Cup trophy during the final celebrations at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, in this picture taken July 13, 2014, and released by the World Press Photo last Thursday. The prize-winning entries of the World Press Photo Contest 2015, the world’s largest annual press photography contest, were announced last Thursday REUTERS

Real Madrid seek response from derby humiliation n AFP, Madrid European champions Real Madrid may still lead La Liga, but an air of crisis has enveloped the club after they were torn apart by local rivals Atletico Madrid in a 4-0 defeat last weekend.

Negative press headlines followed not only due to the manner of the defeat, but the timing of a party held by Cristiano Ronaldo to celebrate his 30th birthday along with some of his teammates just hours after the match.

Ronaldo’s form on the field is also of concern for the Madrid hierarchy: the Portuguese has scored just three times in six matches since picking up the third Ballon d’Or of his career last month and was also sent-off for kickout out at Cordoba defender Edimar during that run.

Indeed there are fears that the patella tendon injury in his left knee that

affected his performances towards the end of last season and most notably at the World Cup could have flared up once more.

Club president Florentino Perez held a meeting with the players and coach Carlo Ancelotti on Monday to tell them in no uncertain terms that their performance at the Vicente Calderon was unbefitting of the 10-time European champions.

However, defeat to Atletico could also prove a turning point in Madrid’s season just as it did at the start of the campaign.

After losing two of their first three league games, Madrid travelled to face Depor under a similar cloud only to romp to an 8-2 victory which helped spark a club record 22-game winning run.

Los Blancos are still blighted by injuries with Sami Khedira becoming the latest casalty to join Sergio Ramos, Pepe, James Rodriguez and Luka

WORLD CUP HEAD-TO-HEAD

NEW ZEALAND

SRI LANKA

9 3

Matches Wins

9 6

225

Highest totals

289/5

153

Lowest totals

189

OVERALL

89

Matches

89

41

Wins

40

BATTING

Scott Styris (352) Scott Styris (141)

Most runs Highest score

K Sangakkara (265) S Jayasuriya (120)

BOWLING

Richard Hadlee (7) Richard Hadlee (5/25)

Most wickets Best bowling

M Muralidaran (15) A de Mel (5/32)

PROBABLE XI Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum (C), Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Grant Elliott, Luke Ronchi (WK), Corey Anderson, Daniel Vettori, Tim Southee, Adam Milne, Trent Boult

Tillakaratne Dilshan, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kumar Sangakkara (WK), Mahela Jayawardene, Angelo Mathews (C), Dimuth Karunaratne, Jeevan Mendis, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Rangana Herath, Lasith Malinga

PLAYER TO WATCH Tests, ODIs or T20Is, Williamson is arguably the most in-form player right now.

The right-hander had a fabulous 2014. Over the years, Williamson has changed his game admirably - most notably a faster strike rate. WILLIAMSON

DILSHAN

One of the most dangerous hitters in world cricket, Dilshan can be a devastating force when on song.

Capable of changing the complexion of a game in the blink of an eye.

Modric on the sidelines with a hamstring problem.

However, left-back Marcelo will return from suspension and there could be a debut for Brazilian midfielder Lucas Silva, who joined from Cruzeiro last month.

FIXTURES Sevilla Real Madrid Granada Malaga

v v v v

Cordoba Deportivo Athletic Bilbao Espanyol

Just as Real Madrid have faltered, Barcelona have hit their best form of the season so far with 10 consecutive wins to move to within a point of their eternal rivals at the top of the table and 90 minutes of reaching the Copa del Rey final.

The Catalans took their tally to 37 goals in that run with a 3-1 win over Vil-

larreal in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final on Wednesday and will confident of more goals when Levante visit the Camp Nou on Sunday.

Barca won the corresponding fixture 7-0 on the opening day of last season and also stuck five past Levante when they met earlier in the season.

Atletico have had a week off to bask in their derby glory, but will need to keep their winning streak in the league going to maintain their title defence when they travel to Celta Vigo on Sunday.

Spanish international Koke will be sidelined for three weeks with a hamstring injury, but Diego Godin is set to play with a protective mask after breaking his nose early in the derby last weekend.

Elsewhere, Valencia, Sevilla and Villarreal will be confident of picking up three points in their battle for fourth place against the struggling Cordoba, Getafe and Rayo Vallecano respectively. l

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has dismissed criticism of Cristiano Ronaldo and some of his team mates over the Portugal captain’s 30th birthday party thrown hours after last weekend’s 4-0 La Liga drubbing at Atletico.

Ronaldo and players including James Rodriguez, Pepe, Marcelo and Sami Khedira were widely condemned after photographs from the festivities leaked into the media.

Ancelotti said the players’ professionalism could not be questioned and he was confident the La Liga leaders would soon return to top form starting with Saturday’s game at home to Deportivo La Coruna.

“The party issue for me is not an issue,” Ancelotti told a news conference on Friday.

“I have never given an opinion on players’ private lives and I am not going to start today,” added the Italian.

“The problem is that some think this might affect the professionalism and seriousness of the players.

“In that sense, I would note that this squad and these players have demonstrated their professionalism many times.

“My job is to evaluate the professionalism of the players and about that I have no doubt. There is no lack of motivation.”

Ancelotti acknowledged that the world and European champions had lost some intensity and focus since their Spanish record 22-match winning streak came to an end with last month’s defeat at Valencia in La Liga. l

Bayern target another Hamburg rout n AFP, Berlin Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich host Hamburg on Saturday in their final warmup before Tuesday’s Champions League clash away to Shakhtar

Donetsk.

Despite their eight-point lead, Bayern have struggled to impress in their first three league games of 2015, but have a habit of hammering Hamburg.

Their shock 4-1 thrashing at second-placed Wolfsburg was followed by a 1-1 draw at home to Schalke 04, albeit with only 10 men for 70 minutes, before last weekend’s 2-0 win at strugglers Stuttgart in a below-par display.

Arjen Robben is one of the few Bayern stars currently in form with the Dutchman having claimed 12 league goals in 16 matches.

But Bayern have posted some big wins over Hamburg in recent years including a 9-2 drubbing in March 2013, but will be without suspended cen-

tre-back Jerome Boateng, who will be available to face Donetsk, though.

Hamburg captain Rafael van der Vaart is fighting for his midfield place having been hauled off at half-time of their 2-1 home win over Hanover 96 following a poor display.

His side has climbed to 12th in the

FIXTURES Bayern Munich v Leverkusen v M’gladbach v Hoffenheim v Werder Bremen v Frankfurt v

Hamburg VfL Wolfsburg Cologne VfB Stuttgart Augsburg Schalke 04

table after back-to-back wins, but Munich’s Allianz Arena has not been a happy hunting ground for Hamburg recently.

They have also lost 3-1, 5-0 and 6-0, on their last four visits to the Bavarian capital, but coach Joe Zinnbauer will be buoyed by their goalless draw in Hamburg in September -- his first game in charge. l

Sri Lanka desperate to shrug off losing habit against Kiwis n AFP, Christchurch Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews has demanded an immediate end to the losing habit that has infected his side in the lead up to Saturday’s World Cup opener against New Zealand in Christchurch.

The “fighting spirit” was not there he said Friday as he reviewed a disappointing build up to cricket’s premier ODI tournament.

Despite leading a side stacked with high performers, Mathews has seen his side crash to a 4-2 series defeat against New Zealand last month and then lose two World Cup warm-up games against South Africa and Zimbabwe.

They were performances far removed from previous Sri Lankan sides that won the 1996 World Cup and were runners up in the last two tournaments in 2007 and 2011.

“In the recent past, especially in New Zealand, we’ve found ways of losing games more than winning games and I think our late middle order haven’t produced good results for us,” he said.

“We had a couple of bad practice matches as well, but we’re not too concerned (about them) because we gave guys opportunities and we tried out a few things.”

Whether batting first or second against New Zealand, Sri Lanka made a flying start through stars such as Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara

and Tillakaratne Dilshan but once they were removed the wickets fell cheaply.

Mathews believed the biggest lesson Sri Lanka have learned is they need to change their approach and not the players.

“It’s the fighting spirit that we’ve got to bring into it. When you lose a few games you tend to be a bit more down and you’ve got to fight hard,” he said.

rendered to our team has been invaluable. They’ve performed to the best of their ability and just want to win all the time so it will be a fitting farewell if we can do it for them.”

Sangakkara needs 12 more runs to overtake Australian Ricky Ponting as the second most prolific ODI batsman behind India’s master Sachin Tendulkar.

“We knew the expectation would rise so we were able to deal with that a while ago. One thing we discussed a lot is being really stable emotionally ourselves. The game has its ups and downs anyway without us adding our own ups and downs.”

- BRENDON MCCULLUM “If it’s a good wicket, we’ll try and bat first. We’ve got the bowling to try and stop the opposition, but if we have to bowl first, we’ve got the experience in our batting lineup.”

- ANGELO MATHEWS

“It’s going to be a fresh series for us, it’s going to be the start of the WC. “We’ve put everything under the carpet and we’re just going to go out there and be positive.”

An added motivation to lift their game is to produce a fitting farewell to Sangakkara and Jaywardene, the 37-year-old batting kingpins who have indicated this World Cup is their last outing on the ODI stage.

“The amount of service they have

Jayawardene is fifth on the all-time list.

Sri Lanka have been buoyed by the return of Lasith Malinga, their strike bowler who has a history of tormenting New Zealand at the top of the innings and at the death.

He has been sidelined by an ankle injury for nearly six months but Mathews confirmed he would play on Saturday although the rest of the line up has not been settled.l

Malinga fit for Sri Lanka’s WC opener n Reuters, Christchurch Slinging express pace bowler Lasith Malinga is fit for Sri Lanka’s opening World Cup clash against New Zealand at Hagley Oval on Saturday, captain Angelo Mathews said.

Malinga had ankle surgery in September and just returned to action in Sri Lanka’s two warm-up matches, against South Africa and Zimbabwe, prior to the World Cup. The mercurial paceman missed the recent series against the World Cup cohosts, who went on to comfortably win the seven-match ODI series 4-2 to give themselves a confidence boost ahead of the global showpiece.

“Lasith will definitely play and he is fit to go,” Mathews told reporters on Friday, before declining to name his 11 for the opening match.

The team have also been too reliant on the big three of Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene.l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

15

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Love is in the air...

Romantic rendezvous of celebrity couples on Valentine’s Day n Shadma Malik Stars are passionately planning to spend the Valentine’s Day with their beloved ones. From mouth-watering dinners to special tantalising tours, the husbands are making things special for their wives.

The Dhaka Tribune asked three celebrity couples: “What’s on your wish list?”

Ananta and Barsha

Tahsan and Mithila

Hridoy Khan and Suzana Zafar

This Valentine’s Day is extra special for Dhallywood’s sizzling on-screen and off-screen couple Ananta Jalil and Barsha as their first baby boy Aarez adds to the celebration of love. Ananta shared his Valentine’s Day plan with the Dhaka Tribune:

Tahsan Khan and Mithila are a romantic couple who have contributed their talent in terms of singing and acting. They married on August 3, 2006 and together have a baby girl. Tahsan shared his Valentine’s Day plan with the Dhaka Tribune:

Singer and music director Hridoy Khan and model turned TV actor Suzana Zafar tied the knot last year. The duo made a dazzling appearance in Hridoy’s title song “Bhalo Lagena.” Hridoy shared his Valentine’s Day plan with the Dhaka Tribune:

What’s your Valentine’s Day tradition as a couple?

This Valentine’s Day is your first as a married couple. Anything special?

What are some of the ways you two light up the mundane days throughout the year?

On the day, I have more than two concerts to perform at. So I may not be able to spend much time with my beloved wife. But we will have dinner at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel where we have a favourite restaurant the night before.

Everyday is a Valentine’s Day for us. We express our love in a myriad of ways – by sending SMS saying ‘I love you’ or just a simple heart emoticon. Sometimes I bring a bouquet of flower as a symbol of how special Barsha is to me.

What are your Valentine’s Day plans?

Any special present for your wife?

And what is Aarez getting on Valentine’s Day?

I will give him a platinum locket with Allahu written on it.

Lady Gaga to perform at the Oscars n Entertainment Desk Lady Gaga has joined the lineup of stars performing at the Oscars.

Gaga herself and Oscar producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced on Twitter today that the pop singer will take part in year’s ceremony.

Zadan wrote that she will be involved in a “a very special performance.”

“Lady Gaga is a once in a lifetime artist who’s musical evolution keeps growing. We are proud to have her perform on the Oscars for the very first time,” Zadan and Meron said in a statement.

So just what’s going to happen at this year’s Oscars will all these “special performances” and “sequences”? Details are still scarce, but producers have also announced that Jack Black, Anna Kendrick, and Jennifer Hudson will participate. l

Any Valentine’s Day gift that you are proud of?

Who is more romantic you or Suzana?

Do you enjoy celebrating Valentine’s Day? Or do you feel it is too much of a “Hallmark” holiday?

Did things change after marriage?

What’s your favourite Valentine’s Day memory?

We are not having anything specific on this day. But, three of us will be visiting Bangkok together for the first time on February 19. We are all very excited about this tour.

My love is a gift to her. And this will never get old.

We went to Krabi in Thailand for a weekend. That is a special memory.

We will be in Chittagong for work. But, we will take some time off to explore the beautiful port city.

Both of us are nature lover, so we will explore some of the scenarios and later will have dinner together. Before marriage, on this day, I used to work and go back home. But, the day has become special for me now.

Mithila loves technology. In 2011, I gifted her an iPad and I am sure she was happy to get it.

Previously, we both used to wonder what it was so special about celebrating a day. But, now we think, if there is a day to express love, why not make it special. So we should celebrate love in these days and for the days to come.

From my side, I would say, I am very romantic. I always want to hold my wife’s hand. It gives me a feeling of contentment when she is beside me.

With a hug I express how much I am in love with this beautiful person.

Indeed, things changed in a very positive way. I had been independent since I was thirteen. At this point in life, apart from work, I believe, love and affection both are needed.

WHAT TO WATCH

Shraddha Kapoor bags Farhan Akhtar’s Rock On 2

TELEVISION

AANTARA Channel 9, 8:00pm Cast: Tarin, Intekhab Dinar, Naeem After a long years, Aantara meets her one time suitor Atanu on a vacation in Thailand with her husband. Atanu stirs her in baffled by asking to marry him.

n Entertainment Desk “Rock On 2” is set to go on floors this year and it can now be officially confirmed that Shraddha Kapoor is playing the female lead in the film. “Rock On” is a cult classic and it had great demand for a sequel. After the success of their first sequel Don 2, Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani are now geared up for the sequel of “Rock On.” The film will feature the epic trio from the prequelFarhan Akhtar, Arjun Rampal and Purab Kohli. Shraddha will play a young girl who joins the band and brings about a lot of changes. She has a beautiful voice and will singing in the film.

Previously, Alia Bhatt was considered for the role but the actress opted out of the film citing date issues. The makers always wanted an actress who can sing and hence Alia and Shraddha were the probable choices for the film. After Alia chose to op out, Shraddha was signed on for the same.

Confirming the news, Shraddha says, “I am extremely excited to be a part of ‘Rock On 2.’ I am a big fan of the first part and love the character I am playing in the sequel. It is a role that involves singing and live performances and that very few roles give you a chance to do.” l

MCCONAUGHEY to star with KERI RUSSELL in civil war drama Keri Russell has nabbed a key roles in “The Free State of Jones,” the Matthew McConaughey historical drama being directed by Gary Ross.

Robert Simonds’ newly launched film and television studio STX Entertainment is co-financing the project and will distribute. Route One/ Union Investment Partners and Vendian Entertainment are co-financing, with IM Global overseeing international distribution.

The film is currently in preproduction in Louisiana.

McConaughey is portraying Newton Knight, a soldier for the Confederacy during the Civil War who became disillusioned with the South’s cause, fled the battlefield, rallied supporters and declared a safe haven in Jones County, an area of southeastern Mississippi in opposition to the Confederacy.

Gugu Mbatha-Raw is already on board, set as a slave who became Knight’s common-law wife.

Russell will play will Knight’s first wife, who leaves him. When she sees him next, he is married to a slave.

Ali will play a runaway slave whom Knight treats as an equal and who tries to rally black people to register to vote.

Ali, repped by WME, is also inhabiting the character of Boggs in both parts of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay.

Russell is generating praise for her TV work on The Americans and last appeared on the big screen with Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. She is also repped by WME. l

Drake surprises fans with new album n Entertainment Desk

Canadian rapper Drake has surprised fans by releasing a new album on iTunes with no advance notice.

The Grammy Award winner dropped If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late on Friday morning.

There are 17 tracks in total featuring artists like Lil Wayne, Travis Scott and PARTYNEXTDOOR. It comes just over a year after he was featured on Beyonce’s self-titled fifth studio album which was released in the same way.

On Friday morning Drake posted a link to the iTunes page on his Twitter account.

More and more artists are choosing to release new music this way, including Kid Cudi, Wolfmother and G-Unit.

Drake’s last album Nothing Was The Same came out in 2013.

It was his third studio album and went straight to the top of the American Billboard 200 chart, selling more than 650,000 copies in its first week. l

MEGHER BARI JABO Boishakhi TV, 11:00pm Cast: Apurba, Momo Poddo, a famous actor, faces awkward situation when his wife Megh visits his shooting spot and suddenly a female fan demands that she is in love with Poddo for a long time.

BHALOBASHA UNLIMITED Asian TV, 8:00pm Cast: Shabnam Faria, Siam Ahmed Siam’s father shows interest to a science oriented girl as Siam’s mate while his mother wants a culinary skilled girl. Then what would happen to Siam and Faria’s relationship?

VALENTINE GALORE SA TV, 7:30pm A live show will feature celebrity including Apurba, Peya, Tanzin Tisha, Prosun azad, Moushumi Hamid walking on the runway.

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Bangladeshi press among the least free in the world The country slipped two spots from its previous ranking of 144 n Tribune Report Bangladesh ranked in the lowest fourth of all countries in the world with respect to freedom of the press in 2015, performing even worse than war-torn Afghanistan, insurgency-ridden Myanmar and occupied Palestine.

The country ranked 146th among 180 countries in the 2015 World Press Freedom Index with a score of 42.95, far lower than its highest ever ranking of 118 in 2002, the first year the global index was published.

The list is topped by three Nordic countries: Finland, which has been in first place for five years in succession, followed by Norway and Denmark.

The country slipped two spots from its previous ranking of 144 which it maintained in 2014 and 2013.

Bangladesh’s lowest ever ranking was 151 in both 2005 and 2004.

The annual index of countries’ performances in protecting journalists and press freedoms is authored by Reporters Without Borders.

The World Press Freedom Index considers a range of criteria in preparing the ranking that include media pluralism and independence, respect for the safety and freedom of journalists, and the legislative, institutional and infrastructural environment in which the media operates.

“There was a drastic decline in freedom of information in 2014. Twothirds of the 180 countries surveyed for the 2015 World Press Freedom Index performed less well than in the previous year. The annual global indicator, which measures the overall level of vi-

olations of freedom of information in 180 countries year by year, has risen to 3,719, an 8 percent increase over 2014 and almost 10 percent compared with 2013. The decline affected all continents,” the index report said.

According to the 2015 index, the list is topped by three Nordic countries: Finland, which has been in first place for five years in succession, followed

by Norway and Denmark. At the other end of the scale, Turkmenistan, North Korea and Eritrea, in last place, were the worst performers.

The 2015 World Press Freedom Index highlights the worldwide deterioration in freedom of information in 2014.

Beset by wars, the growing threat from non-state operatives, violence during demonstrations and the economic crisis, media freedom is in retreat on all five continents.

The reasons for the worrying decline are news control as used as a weapon of war; non-state groups muzzling the press; blasphemy laws enabling the political use of religious censorship; increased hazards in covering demonstrations; national security rhetoric and laws offering spurious grounds for media control and regimes seeking ever more control over information.

The index’s author, Reporters Without Borders, was founded in Montpellier, France in 1985.

Registered as a non-profit organisation in France since 1995, the organisation soon took on an international dimension and has consultant status at the United Nations and UNESCO. It is the 2013 winner of the Freedom of Speech Award of the International Association of Press Clubs.

The organisation currently has two essential and highly specialised spheres of activity: one focused on internet censorship and the new media, and the other devoted to providing material, financial and psychological assistance to journalists assigned to dangerous areas. l

School students throng the Amar Ekushey Boi Mela after classes yesterday. Schools remained open on the weekly holiday in the wake of the hartals repeatedly called by the BNPled 20-party alliance MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Spring receives warm welcome at Ekushey Boi Mela n Nure Alam Durjoy Yesterday, the grandest book fair in the country had a unique set of young book lovers for its AMAR EKUSHEY BOOK FAIR 2015 visitors – from uniform-clad school-goers to yellow-donning young adults celebrating Pohela Falgun.

Spring was welcomed with much ardour around Dhaka, but the ground of Amar Ekushey Boi Mela seemed to be a major attraction for the spring lovers.

But even more interesting was the huge number of children who went to the fair – straight from school.

Hartal throughout the weeks has

forced many schools in the city and elsewhere to take classes on the weekends. But the school work did little to subdue the excitement of the children. They went to fair, still in their school uniform, teeming the area and excited to browse through new books.

Even though most children book stalls are located on the Bangla Academy premises, the little bookworms seemed happy to explore the entire venue – perhaps they were excited by spring’s arrival as well.

Looking around the fair venue, the visitors were seen donning yellow and other bright colours relating to the season of rejuvenation. Inside the ground, the troubles of the outside world seemed to be a faraway concept.

“The outer world may be in chaos right now, but if feels good to be here, at the boi mela, right now,” said

Shams Swann, who purchased five books, visiting with his friend.

What added to the festive mood was the Valentine’s Day next day.

Young people swarmed the book stalls looking for books of stories and poems on love.

One such couple, donning sari and panjabi of spring colours, were seen searching for Mahadeb Saha’s “Premer Kobita,” at the Anindo Prokash stall around 2pm. When the stall attendant assured them that they had it, the young man wasted no time in making a purchase.

“We came here now to avoid the mad evening rush,” said Rakib (not real name). “We have already gotten ourselves the romantic titles by Nirmalendu Goon.”

“He loves poetry,” said his girlfriend Sultana (not real name). “Especially romantic poetry. So I like to buy

High Commission of Canada holds rickshaw race fundraiser n Munir Momtaj

Employees of Canadian High Commission take part in a rickshaw race arranged by World Child Cancer Bangladesh and Acid Survivor’s Foundation to raise funds in the capital’s Baridhara area yesterday RAJIB DHAR

The Canadian High Commission held its third annual Rickshaw Relay in front of the Canadian High Commission building yesterday.

The relay was organised by the staff and families of the Canadian High commission to raise funds for World Child Cancer Bangladesh and the Acid Survivors Foundation.

In a rickshaw relay, teams of four race each other. Several Canadian citizens and High Commission staff members went to see the relay.

His Excellency Benoit-Pierre Laramee, High Commissioner of Canada: “This is a wonderful event that supports an excellent cause. We arranged the relay to raise funds.”

On the political situation in Bang-

ladesh, the high commissioner said: “Burning humans in the name of politics is unexpected and sorrowful.”

World Child Cancer is a UK-based non-governmental organisation, which works with the team at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) to treat children with cancer.

And the Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF) was established in 1999 and has been relentlessly working in Bangladesh to combat acid attacks against women. AFS also raises awareness and runs prevention campaigns which have contributed to reducing the number of acid attacks in Bangladesh.

Selina Ahmed, executive director of Acid Survivors Foundation, and Dr Megan Doherty, a Canadian doctor and World Child Cancer volunteer, were in attendance. l

him books of poems.”

“She, on the other hand, likes the works of Humayun Ahmed,” Rakib said.

The festivities at the fair was a good omen for the stall owners; sales were better yesterday.

Attendants at various stalls were seen busy handling customers. An attendant at Anya Prokash stall said they had a good day. So did other publication houses, such as Ananya, Agamee Prakashani and Shahitya Prakash.

The 13th day of the book fair saw 311 new arrivals, putting the number of newly published books at the fair at 1,782.

As the world celebrates the Valentine’s Day today, the second day of this weekend will, perhaps, see equally enthusiastic crowd and satisfying sales for the book stall owners. l

3rd grader commits suicide to escape dowry n Our Correspondent, Gazipur An 11-year-old girl committed suicide in order to escape dowry-based marriage in the district’s Sheepur upazila yesterday.

Shanti Akhter, a class three student of a local school, was found hanging from her room’s ceiling around 10am.

Shanti’s mother Firoza Akhter said Shanti’s marriage was fixed with her lover Al-Amin.

“The wedding ceremony was scheduled to be held on Saturday. My daughter was unhappy as Al-Amin demanded dowry of Tk50,000.

“But, we agreed to give Al-Amin Tk50,000 as dowry, considering my daughter’s happiness,” Firoza added.

In the morning, Firoza went outside to buy some goods, and upon returning, she found her daughter hanging in the room. Later, the police found a suicide note near it, said Shreepur police station SI Sohel Rana. l

Millions of tonnes of plastic trash clog oceans Father of internet warns of ‘digital Dark Age’ n Reuters, Washington The world’s oceans are clogged with plastic debris, but how much of it finds its way into the seas annually? Enough to place the equivalent of five grocery bags full of plastic trash on every foot (30 cm) of every nation’s coastline around the globe.

That is according to scientists who released research on Thursday estimating that a staggering 8 million metric tonnes of plastic pollution enter the oceans each year from the world’s 192 coastal countries based on 2010 data.

Based on rising waste levels, they estimated that more than 9 million tonnes would end up in the oceans in 2015.

Experts have sounded the alarm in recent years over how plastic pollution is killing huge numbers of seabirds, marine

mammals, sea turtles and other creatures while sullying ocean ecosystems.

China was responsible for the most ocean plastic pollution per year with an estimated 2.4 million tonnes, about 30% of the global total, followed by Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Egypt, Malaysia, Nigeria and Bangladesh.

The United States was the only rich industrialised nation in the top 20, and it ranked number 20. Coastal EU nations combined would rank 18th.

The trash encompasses just about anything imaginable made of plastic including shopping bags, bottles, toys, food wrappers, fishing gear, cigarette filters, sunglasses, buckets and toilet seats.

The estimates were based on information including World Bank data for trash generated per person in all nations

with a coastline, coastal population density, the amount of plastic waste countries produce and the quality of their waste-management practices.

The researchers calculated that 275 million tonnes of plastic waste was generated in the 192 coastal countries that year, with an estimated 8 million tonnes entering the ocean and a possible range between 4.8 million and 12.7 million tonnes.

“The most pressing need is to capture plastic waste to prevent it from entering the environment,” said Kara Lavender Law, a research professor of oceanography with the Massachusetts-based Sea Education Association.

“This means investing in waste management infrastructure, especially in those countries with rapidly developing economies.” l

n BBC Vint Cerf, a “father of the internet”, says he is worried that all the images and documents we have been saving on computers will eventually be lost.

Currently a Google vice-president, he believes this could occur as hardware and software become obsolete.

He fears that future generations will have little or no record of the 21st Century as we enter what he describes as a “digital Dark Age”.

Cerf made his comments at a large science conference in San Jose.

Our life, our memories, our most cherished family photographs increasingly exist as bits of information - on our hard drives or in “the cloud.” But as technology moves on, they risk being lost in the wake of an accelerating

digital revolution.

“Old formats of documents that we have created or presentations may not be readable by the latest version of the software because backwards compatibility is not always guaranteed,” said Cerf.

Cerf is promoting an idea to preserve every piece of software and hardware so that it never becomes obsolete - just

like what happens in a museum - but in digital form, in servers in the cloud.

“The solution is to take an X-ray snapshot of the content and the application and the operating system together, with a description of the machine that it runs on, and preserve that for long periods of time. And that digital snapshot will recreate the past in the future.” l

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